Asserts that economics education is a desirable goal for the elementary curriculum because elementary students can learn and understand economic concepts. Reviews four "Teaching-Learning Principles" based on empirical research about learning effectiveness. Applies these principles to economic concepts such as scarcity, cost-benefit analysis, and…

Asserts that using a thematic approach to teach pre-twentieth-century U.S. history can help students connect historical events in a coherent pattern. Discusses the development of a history curriculum based on five recurring themes in U.S. history. Provides an outline for a nine-week unit that includes suggested student activities for each theme.…

Reports on a review of multicultural content of the "Music Educators Journal" in the years 1967-1992. Finds that the number of articles, special issues, and book reviews on multicultural music education increased significantly during the 1970s. Asserts that heightened interest in instructional methods and teacher education followed in…

A dynamic measure (number of examples needed to reach mastery) predicted transfer but not maintenance of a learned strategy for 64 third graders trained by scaffolded (n=32) or nonscaffolded (n=32) methods. A static measure had some predictive utility in the nonscaffolded condition. The potential superiority of scaffolded instruction is discussed.…

Asserts that in order for simulations to work well they need to operate within the constraints of a pre-designed set of rules. The simulation needs to incorporate an articulation of these rules, the simulation activity, and a thorough debriefing. Includes a set of questions and activities designed to facilitate debriefing. (MJP)

Understanding the link between classroom assessment techniques (CATs) and cognitive learning theory not only allows college teachers to choose and design CATs that fit particular classroom needs, but helps them explicate to students the potential applications of CATs to study strategies in general. Once students make this leap, the effects of a…

Describes a cooperative project in which students in a number of areas in Ireland collect environmental data for use by scientists working to solve real-life problems. Reports on the follow-up survey to the study. (DDR)

Reports on an investigation of learning-strategy applications in elementary French, Japanese, and Spanish immersion classrooms. Focus is on identifying strategies that more and less effective learners use for classroom reading and writing tasks in the target language. Think-aloud data from 3rd-grade and 4th-grade students were quantified and…

Investigates the self-regulated learning strategies first-generation students employ. Uses Bandura's "Self-Regulated Learning" subscale to measure grade point average and academic success. Indicates that high scholastic performance was most associated with perceived capability to concentrate on schoolwork and meet assigned deadlines. (16…

Reports on a two-year ethnographic study focusing on gender, science education, and the introduction of networked digital media for learning in middle schools. Describes how learners become active participants, exploring gender attitudes, when studying socio-scientific issues related to an endangered rain forest and using video, the Internet, and…

Argues children's natural drive to discover is intrinsic and that adults cannot instill it from the outside. Dispels common myths about child motivation and describes the optimal conditions for self-motivated learning. Provides examples of how the Montessori-prepared environment makes the most of children's inborn curiosity, interest, and wonder.…

Presents findings from a three-year evaluative study, plus a follow-up study four years later, into the implementation of a student-owned portable computer program in a secondary school in Perth, Western Australia. Discusses computer use, student computer attitudes, teacher attitudes, the role of teachers in curriculum integration, and…

This article describes the Math Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), a research-based practice developed with heavy teacher involvement. A case study of a school where Math PALS was developed, researched, and continues in use is followed by a discussion of principles for sustaining the use of research-based practices. Extensive figures detail…

Argues that the method of "collaborative modelling" developed to teach reading skills may be utilized in generating and assessing pupil talk within the classroom. Pupil pairs were given different texts from science, English, and geography and asked to re-present them in another form. Results indicate the value of the talk emerging from…

Evaluation of French second-language learning among college and adult students with videodisk "Vi-Conte" found: beginners adopted less linear paths than adults or more advanced students; lexical acquisition varied by proficiency level; frequency, salience, mode of presentation of lexical items in a multimedia environment affected acquisition;…