In powerful learning environments, rich contexts and authentic tasks are presented to pupils. Active, autonomous and co-operative learning is stimulated, and the curriculum is adapted to the needs and capabilities of individual pupils. In this study, the characteristics of learning environments and the contribution of ICT to learning environments…

This paper focuses on the use of multimedia-based predict--observe--explain (POE) tasks to facilitate small group learning conversations. Although the tasks were given to pairs of students as a diagnostic tool to elicit their pre-instructional physics conceptions, they also provided a peer learning opportunity for students. The study adopted a…

This research aims to devise a set of computer-based tools to meet the diverse needs of learners for comprehending a science learning unit, namely work. A model of computer-based tools on the learning unit for developing procedural knowledge for solving work problems was developed together with a set of teacher customization and collaboration…

In this article Donald Philip describes Knowledge Building, a pedagogy based on the way research organizations function. The global economy, Philip argues, is driving a shift from older, industrial models to the model of the business as a learning organization. The cognitive patterns of today's Net Generation students, formed by lifetime exposure…

This article presents a case study of a single incident involving a high school student who brought a "tennis ball" bomb to school. Although the district had recently created a safety plan, with a specific protocol for the discovery of a bomb in the building, the principal and the crises team ignored it. The principal did not refer to…

On May 21, 1998 Kipland Kinkel entered Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, gunned down two students and injured scores more, after murdering his parents the night before. There is a dearth of research focused on the effects of such violence in school settings where the perpetrator is a peer of his victims. We do not know if, how, or under…

Many researchers and instructional designers increasingly recognise the benefits of utilising three dimensional virtual reality (VR) technology in instruction. In general, there are two types of VR system, the immersive system and the non-immersive system. This article focuses on the latter system that merely uses the conventional personal…

In the accessible e-learning community there are very few original metaphors, theories and models that have been developed to try and describe, explain and develop "best" practice. This paper will explore the extent to which existing accessibility models can help to develop our conceptualisations of accessible e-learning practice, and outline a…

As the educational environment becomes increasingly diverse, adult educators are poised to serve as invaluable resources to adult learners, both as links to reliable health information and builders of skills. Health literacy skills are important tools that prepare learners to access, understand, and use information to make informed health…

In the two high school writing communities described in this article, literacy is strategic, purposeful, and always linked to meaning. The foundation for literate practices in these communities is Freirian in nature. Teachers, in a very serious way, work to liberate language and prepare students to be in control of words; they do this by allowing…

The construct of enabling school structure is empirically analyzed in this qualitative study of high schools. First, the theoretical underpinning of enabling school structure is developed. Then, six high schools, which were determined to have enabling structures in a large quantitative study of Ohio schools, were analyzed in depth using…

Parents are a largely untapped resource for improving the mathematics performance of American children, which lags behind the performance of children from other nations. The purpose of the research reported here was to assess homework practices in the home, and to examine interactions between mothers and their 5th grade children as they worked…

The New Zealand Ministry of Education is undertaking a project to provide information that can assist schools to design quality environments that will improve student learning outcomes. The project started in 2004 with the ministry surveying boards of trustees, principals, teachers and students on what features of property design they believed…

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of sexuality and dance education from multiple perspectives including public schools (K-12), private studios, conservatories, and higher education. Among innumerable potential topics emanating from this review of sexuality and dance education in the 21st century, this article focuses on today's…

In his recent "Crime and Coercion," Colvin contends that individuals exposed to coercive environments develop social-psychological deficits that enhance their probability of engaging in criminal behavior. Using a sample of 2,472 students from six middle schools, the authors test core propositions of Colvin's differential coercion theory.…