Describes the Keypal Project, a project in which e-mail was introduced in two kindergarten classes with the intent to enrich children's literacy and communication skills and foster long-distance relationships. Found the project had great learning potential and was easily incorporated into constructivist programs which emphasize active learning.…

Discusses a college course that employs the basic principles of constructivist education and promotes active learning through social interaction and personal reflection. The course assists students in developing a greater degree of autonomy that will help them in their personal and professional lives. (SM)

A model for conceptualizing teacher change was developed during a two-year study of mathematics teachers' implementation of an innovative curriculum. Based on constructivist views of teaching and learning, the model suggested that one way to promote change in teaching practice is to structure interactions among teachers to promote reflective…

In this study, 32 preservice teachers were interviewed about their epistemological beliefs, applying the Women's Ways of Knowing conceptualization to their thinking. Over half the students demonstrated significant amounts of procedural or constructed thinking. Results indicated the value of the Women's Ways of Knowing in seeking to understand…

An approach to college-level instructional design that incorporates the principles of constructivism, termed "constructive alignment," is described. The process is then illustrated with reference to a professional development unit in educational psychology for teachers, but the model is viewed as generalizable to most units or programs in higher…

Describes a blended introductory instructional design course at Brigham Young University (Utah) that was evaluated, revised, and re-evaluated. The case is an example of how a faculty member teaching a blended course must constantly determine the balance between face-to-face and online components. (Author/MES)

Describes the development of a course in Turkey for preservice teacher education for elementary school teachers that focused on instructional technologies and material development using a constructivist approach. Discusses research outcomes, including the positive impact of constructivist practices, active learning, the importance of prior…

A special education teacher and a reading specialist who team taught fourth-grade students with learning disabilities were observed to determine the ways in which the teachers' beliefs and practices influenced their decisions about strategy instruction. The effects of strategy instruction on their reading and writing workshops are examined. (CR)

Examines the role of playgrounds that use discarded items or "junk" as an integral part of kindergarten classes in an Israeli kibbutz. Suggests that play in the junkyard, by including the whole person--muscles and senses, emotion and intellect, individual growth and social interaction--can offer the experiential foundations on which…

Discusses the collaborative approach of the Rocky Mountain Teacher Education Collaborative to helping preservice teachers develop pedagogical content knowledge. Describes a course in the teaching of chemistry that was believed to be key in the development of pedagogical content knowledge. Highlights assessment and reactions to the course. (JRH)

Results of case studies of elementary and secondary school educators on Internet use indicate that while some teachers use telecommunications simply as a new tool to implement their habitual teaching practices, others are taking advantage of Internet capabilities to employ more innovative methods. (AEF)

Argues against the merely descriptive presentation frequently used in teaching biochemistry and in favor of a constructivist approach called heuristic-teleonomic, which unites the process of discovery with adaptation to functional ends. Discusses difficulties inherent to the nature of biochemistry, including the conflict between acquiring…

Reviews classroom management strategies that are child-centered and consistent with constructivist approaches to education, in which teachers create situations that facilitate learning. Describes strategies including techniques for establishing dialog, cognitive interventions (including self management and conflict resolution), cognitive…

Explores what is important when choosing a mathematics word problem and when modifying it to suit particular students' backgrounds and cultures. For example, potentially good problems have multiple entry and exit points which can have several right answers, blending of different mathematical ideas, linkages to problems in other situations, and…

Examines the constructivist theory of knowledge which basically proposes that knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner. Particular emphasis is placed on how a shift can be made from someone who teaches to someone who facilitates learning in a classroom environment in which the students are active participants in the learning process.…