This mixed method research study explored the role of metacognitive awareness in reading among adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students of various academic levels enrolled in a university in the southeastern part of the United States of America while engaged in academic reading. In addition, this study examined metacognitive reading…

When people hear the term "urban", they immediately associate it with negative attributes such as poverty stricken students and families, ill-prepared students, run down facilities, and an inconsistency in teachers. When compared to any kind of school whether its' private or public, urban school districts have the worst label of all. Why is there…

Starting from difficulties that students of education display when they interpret empirical findings and generate scientific arguments, a problem-based e-learning environment was developed. Based on first evaluation data, an elaboration tool was integrated into the learning environment. The tool consisted of a modelling and an explanation part. In…

This study explored the impact of "Technology Enabled Active Learning" (TEAL) on students learning general physics, focusing on differences between genders and among various achievement levels. A quasi-experimental investigation was conducted on two semesters of courses offered in 2008. Data sources consisted of pre-tests, post-tests,…

As part of the activities at the Research Institute in Education of Learning Disabled Children, work was carried out with a group of about 30 children (grades 4 through 6) disabled in the comprehension of written language. Most of these children, when reading, went beyond using prior knowledge to provide schemata and interpretations; they…

Viewed as discourse, official forms exhibit identifiable text characteristics and elicit strategies for comprehension that take into account these characteristics, as well as context and the user's prior knowledge about the world. However, forms also have unique characteristics that require processes and strategies which differ in systematic ways…

This study examined the effects of low- and high-prior knowledge and peer and teacher audiences on high school students' writing. Forty high school juniors and 40 seniors wrote on both low-prior knowledge and high-prior knowledge topics, half writing for their peers, and half for their teachers. Results are presented. (Author/MT)

Describes a procedure called Generating Reciprocal Inferences Procedure (GRIP), which teaches inferential comprehension using direct or explicit instruction, a generative process, and reciprocal questioning. (RS)

Strategies were examined for adapting the context of mathematical materials to student interests. Two groups were studied using four context variations. Implications for increasing students' confidence and proficiency in solving word problems is discussed. (Author/MT)

Reports results of a study of 30 graduates who received credit for learning from life experience. The study (1) gathered data about the experience of persons preparing, presenting, and receiving credit for learning from life experience and (2) assessed the relationship to the predominant or preferred learning styles of three other factors in these…

Every year, students encounter the same topics. While they may successfully learn the topics each year, there is not enough attention to the process of learning how to learn. Without knowing how to learn, students will find it difficult to transfer what they have learned to new but similar learning tasks. This fastback identifies the areas that…

This study examined the role of different scaffolding instructional interventions in facilitating students' shift to more sophisticated mental models as indicated by both performance and process data. Undergraduate students (n=51) were randomly assigned to use of one of three scaffolding conditions (adaptive scaffolding (AS), fixed scaffolding…

This article examines approaches which are used to validate experiential competencies in technical education. The two most common approaches to credentialization are discussed. The importance of nonacademic experiences in credentialing is examined, and several assessment models are described. (CT)

Provides suggestions for activating prior knowledge, getting children to be aware when their comprehension is lagging, and tying it all together at the end. (FL)

Discusses the results of a study that examined the relationship between comprehension ability and prior knowledge in children's recall of structurally equivalent text. (AEA)