This paper describes two empirical studies which investigated the importance for spatial learning of view control and object manipulation within 3D environments. A 3D virtual chemistry laboratory was used as the research instrument. Subjects, who were university undergraduate students (34 in the first study and 80 in the second study), undertook…

Since the publication of "Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century," the development of communicative competence both within and beyond the confined walls of the language classroom has become a national priority for the foreign language (FL) teaching profession. The literature on standards and proficiency suggests…

For the 12th year, a national survey of changes in the academic and administrative practices of American colleges and universities was undertaken. Senior administrators at 407 colleges and universities completed and returned survey questionnaires (80 percent of a sample of 506). Responses were statistically weighted so that results were…

Intended to help children sustain gains made in school, this manual consists of simple learning activities that parents can use to engage children ranging from second grade through middle school/junior high school. The description of each activity outlines the purpose for the activity, the materials needed, the duration of the activity, how it is…

This book describes inquiry learning during a year-long classroom exploration with 4th graders, which began with setting up a bird feeder and a journal for students to record observations. The authors argue that schools have been organized to make things easy for learners, shielding them from the messiness, ambiguity, and change of intellectual…

This study examined how middle science teachers perceive the textbooks they use and how their perceptions varied with their personal attributes and professional backgrounds. A questionnaire was sent to 79 middle school science teachers in Missouri, and 66 responded. The questionnaire was designed to determine the teachers' perceptions about the…

Could corpus analysis be used to solve some of the problems surrounding non-native speakers' understanding of seemingly synonymous words? This research is needed because there is no single universal unified lexical theory that can be applied to the study of semantics or of language as a whole. Instead, there are a variety of views than can be…

The Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center (the Met) is a unique public high school in Providence, Rhode Island. The Met has no classes, no grades, no tests, and no easy rides. With guidance from adults, each student builds a customized education focused on five learning goals: communication, social reasoning, empirical reasoning,…

A comparative study of early school leaving in India, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States found that in spite of huge cultural and economic differences between these countries, there were common underlying causes of the school dropout problem. Economic need, sociocultural divisions, curricula that were unrelated to future work and…

This paper describes Clear View Elementary School's (California) successful experience with integrating technology into the curriculum. Since its inception seven years ago, the school has acquired 250 computers, networked them all on two central file servers, and computerized the library and trained all staff members to be proficient facilitators…

Employers have looked to postsecondary schools as a source of trained workers, including graduates of both vocational and general education programs. Fifty-four successful and effective community college programs focus on innovative strategies for meeting current and future work force developments and requirements. The partnership programs begin…

The Annenberg Rural Challenge locates and funds exemplary rural public school programs to serve as models for rural education reform. The guiding theory of the Rural Challenge is that when rural schools base their teaching on the economy, ecology, history, and culture of their communities while fully engaging the community in the school's work,…

Noting that there are few resources available for preschool or kindergarten teachers committed to providing high-quality drama experiences to students, this book explores ways teachers can maximize the drama experience in preschool and kindergarten classrooms. Topics discussed in the book's introduction include dramatic play and early development,…

This curriculum is designed to be a flexible enrichment project for adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education by harnessing the dynamic power of letters for language learning purposes. The goals of the project are to help teachers assisting students in developing communication skills, encourage social interaction as a means of building…

Evaluates three participatory civic education learning programs developed by the Citizenship Education Clearing House: the Election Program, Missouri State Government Program, and the Metropolitan Issues Program. Evaluation consisted of questionnaires, observation, and interviews. Discovers that the programs are both popular and effective. (MJP)