This article reports how the Miami-Dade County school district has undertaken an examination of its high school course offerings to make them more equitable after a newspaper report found a richer array of choices in wealthier neighborhoods than in poorer ones. In a unanimous vote last January 19, the nine-member school board directed…

This article describes a sophomore transition-to-advanced-math course taught via a modified Moore method at Lebanon Valley College.

One of the aims of the standards and accountability movement is to make intellectually demanding course work in high school the norm. Significant progress has been made towards this goal. Expecting all students to engage in and succeed with challenging work in high school, however, places on high schools demands they have not been historically…

Frictional force is a source of misconceptions among students, as teachers know from daily experience. This is confirmed by many studies carried out by investigators from all over the world. Surprisingly (or perhaps not), we have found some of these misconceptions among physics school teachers and senior students of physics education courses…

In our previous work documenting benefits of both mastery and performance-approach goals, we assessed achievement goals for a particular type of student (specifically, the college student) in a particular type of classroom environment (specifically, the large introductory lecture). The current study sought to extend our initial work by testing…

A second semester biochemistry laboratory has been implemented as an independent projects course at California State University, Sacramento since 1999. To incorporate aspects of carbohydrate biochemistry, or glycobiology, into our curriculum, projects in lectin isolation and purification were undertaken over the course of two semesters. Through…

Students in advanced psychopathology courses can learn key concepts by administering semistructured interviews designed to identify specific mental disorders. Such an active learning approach potentially can help students gain fundamental knowledge about psychopathology and begin to develop clinical and research skills. To explore the value of…

This report describes a laboratory exercise that was incorporated into a Cell Biology and Molecular Biology advanced course. The exercise was made for a class size with eight students and was designed to reinforce the understanding of basic molecular biology techniques. Students used the techniques of reverse transcription and arginase activity…

The monograph describes the application of flexible pacing as a means of meeting the educational needs of gifted students in schools throughout the country. Flexible pacing is defined as placing students at an appropriate instructional level and allowing them to move forward in the curriculum as they master content and skills. Flexible pacing is…

A textbook designed to give speech and writing practice to intermediate and advanced students of Portuguese as a second language includes 14 units intended to cover two semesters' work with approximately five hours per week of instruction. The units typically include: a text forming the basis for free conversation and practice of language…

An advanced writing course that does not repeat freshman English materials and techniques can encourage a variety of students to become enthusiastic about writing. One such course focuses on three writing modes: the poetic, the informative, and the persuasive. For the poetic mode, students write informal essays; for the informative mode, they…

A three-year, in-house engineering course offered to selected General Electric Company engineers is discussed. It is designed to develop the ability to identify and solve real engineering problems. The course may be taken concurrently with college courses in a cooperative program that can result in a graduate degree in engineering. (MLH)

Presents a systematic approach to reviewing carbon-carbon reactions in an advanced organic chemistry course. (SL)

Describes a multiyear program in the Jacksonville (FL) schools that identifies high achieving students during elementary school and grooms them, through special advanced classes and summer programs, to work toward achieving high scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test in high school. The program has increased student achievement and the number of…

The concept of acceleration is explored as a way to develop the talents and potential of gifted students. Reviewed are: acceleration options, curriculum compacting, research on acceleration, objections to acceleration, the importance of flexible pacing, examples of radical acceleration, and the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth at Johns…