Wireless communications are ubiquitous. Students and teachers use iPhones[R], BlackBerrys[R], and other smart phones at home and at work. More than 275 million Americans had cell phones in June of 2009 and expanded access to broadband is predicted this year. Despite the plethora of users, most students and teachers do not understand "how they…

This study explored the effectiveness of an inquiry-based cellulase laboratory unit in promoting inquiry in undergraduate students in biotechnology. The following tools were used to assess the students' achievements and attitude: conceptual understanding test, concept mapping, students' documents, CLES questionnaire, students' self reflection, and…

Future elementary school teachers often lack self-efficacy for teaching science and technology. They are particularly anxious about encouraging children to carry-out student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry and/or technological design projects. Moreover, because this often also is the case with practising elementary school teachers, it is…

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the ISO 9000 standard and creativity. In this paper, the researcher tries to answer the following questions: Which learning theories best foster creative thought? Is creativity more behaviorist or constructivist? Where does ISO 9000 fit in the continuum from behaviorism to…

Both Vygotsky, a psychologist, and Halliday, a social linguist, argue for the central role of language in human development. Language is the principal mode of meaning making; it mediates both the communication through which thinking with others is made possible and also the inner speech through which individual thinking is brought under conscious…

This study investigated a qualitative career assessment and counselling procedure that was founded upon a constructivist, narrative approach to career counselling, "My Career Chapter: A Dialogical Autobiography" (McIlveen, 2006). Counsellors were trained in the use of the procedure and then applied it to themselves in an intensive…

A major problem in understanding a new theory is that rapid gains in popularity are accompanied by misconceptions and distortions (Valsiner, 1988). A developmental theorist, Lev Vygotsky, has rapidly become a much repeated name at all levels of educational psychology: theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical. And once again, inexplicable…

In early years' (primary grade) classrooms in Australia repeated patterns are commonly explored as an early introductory activity to mathematics. Most young students have an extensive knowledge of and exhibit success in copying, continuing, creating and transferring patterns into other media. By contrast, research indicates one of the most…

Web3D open standards allow the delivery of interactive 3D virtual learning environments through the Internet, reaching potentially large numbers of learners worldwide, at any time. This paper introduces the educational use of virtual reality based on Web3D technologies. After briefly presenting the main Web3D technologies, we summarize the…

Responds to Jim Garrison's 1997 paper in this journal on Deweyan social constructivism. Argues that key elements of Garrison's complaints are misguided and that his preferred Deweyan social constructivism is a theoretical framework without apparent superiority and with enough flaws that it is at best eschewed by science educators. (Author/SAH)

Responds to Davson-Galle's November 2000 response to Garrison's 1997 paper in this journal on Garrison's view of Deweyan constructivism. (Author/SAH)

Describes the affective, volitional face of the zone of proximal development. Suggests that the interpersonal character of the zone of proximal development closely resembles a caring encounter. Shows links between caring and the notion of the con-construction of knowledge. (SLD)

Discusses some of the emerging constructivist instructional design models and suggest three guidelines for instructional design that are based on an interpretivist philosophy of science and constructivist theories of learning. Explains recursive (iterative) non-linear design, reflective design, and participatory design. (Contains 72 references.)…

Changes in our concepts of work and career reflect a move from an industrial era to what has been termed a postindustrial, information or postmodern era, an era wherein our concepts of career guidance also need to change. A number of authors have commented on aspects of career guidance practice which need to incorporate changes, such as career…

In the Spring 2006 issue of "The Educational Forum", Edmund S. Meltzer joined the objectivism versus constructivism debate between Jamin Carson and David Elkind. In his (2006, 200-01) article "Constructivism and Objectivism: Additional Questions," Meltzer maintained that Carson's argument supporting objectivism did not address the implications of…