Describes a reflective inquiry teacher education program at one university, examining the relationship between values and teacher skills. The program emphasizes the development of analytical and critical thinking skills. The article describes 25 preservice teachers' value clusters, explores the necessary skills development, and shares one…

Findings of experimental and qualitative research on construction of science knowledge by students with mild disabilities are reported. Both lines of research indicate these students are able to construct scientific knowledge using scientific methods, positive outcomes are associated with implementation of teacher effectiveness variables, and…

Discusses (1) the need for teachers to understand student conceptions; (2) alternative conceptions that students formulate; (3) changing conceptions; (4) representing conceptual knowledge for studying conceptual change; (5) strategies for inducing change; and (6) a taxonomy of conceptual change. (Contains 61 references.) (MDH)

Examines the process by which teachers learn to teach thinking in the classroom. The paper describes the evolution of thinking skills in three phases: thinking skills acquisition, critical and creative thinking processes, and thoughtful application. Teachers pass through the three-stage process as they learn how to teach thinking. (SM)

Presents an annotated bibliography of educational resources supporting constructivist teaching. Includes books that illustrate active teaching strategies, general works on the philosophical bases for constructivism, guides to teaching strategies and assessment, theme issues of academic journals, and historical perspectives on constructivism. (MJP)

Offers suggestions for teachers who are interested in constructivist principles, but concerned about the classroom management required to accompany creative teaching. Outlines some procedures for achieving this goal. Includes an extensive list of student activities that can assist classroom-management efforts. (MJP)

Describes the planning and implementation of a team-taught two-course sequence for secondary educators on adolescent education. The courses included substantial information on disabilities and special education. The approach to team teaching, based on a constructivist model of learning, is illustrated through the presentation of specific learning…

Experiential learning generally, and service learning specifically, can teach citizenship skills necessary to a democracy, unify the curriculum, better serve at-risk students, and accommodate different learning styles. Gives arguments and criteria for integrating service learning into mainstream education and examples of programs utilizing service…

Utilizes the psychological and sociocultural components of a constructivist paradigm to provide a detailed analysis of how the cognitive constructions students make as they enumerate 3D arrays of cubes develop and change in an inquiry-based, problem-centered mathematics classroom. Describes the classroom work of three pairs of 5th-grade students…

Summarizes a complex study of a science-teacher-education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change conceptions of teaching science and were disposed to put hem into practice. Concludes that there are influences on prospective teachers from their content coursework that have significant implications for how they view…

Describes the development of the practices and perspectives of one elementary school teacher as she engaged in teacher-as-researcher methodology in both urban and suburban settings. Documents how the teacher-as-researcher began to explore science inquiry in an elementary setting and how students, parents, and educators became co-learners,…

Presents examples of chemical education research that illustrate changes in focus, method, and direction over the past 50 years. Contains more than 50 references. (WRM)

Explains Cultural Connections, a model for implementing constructivist, intercultural distance learning partnerships. Highlights include a theoretical framework; social constructivist pedagogy; intercultural communication; telecommunications; Web pages; and examples of a middle school partnership in Texas, a fourth-grade connection between Texas…

Reviews current trends away from multiple-choice testing to alternative forms of student evaluation. Discusses elements contributing to these trends: emphases on critical-thinking skills and active learning, research supporting a constructivist view of learning, efforts to develop academic standards and companion performance-based assessments, and…

Reanalyzes pretest and posttest interviews from a large classroom study using a situated cognition framework. Concludes that cognition is a dynamic process that changes in different ways over shorter and longer time scales. Contains 40 references. (DDR)