This compilation presents materials associated with the 5-week summer session of the Samford University Writing Project, 1992. The compilation begins with curriculum vitae of staff, teacher consultants, and guest speakers. The compilation also presents lists of group and committee members and daily logs written in by participants in a wide variety…

Teachers in England and Wales are working to implement the targets and programs of study for technology, which was defined in the 1993 National Curriculum as "the creative application of knowledge, skills, and understanding to design and make good quality products." To determine the needs and attitudes of primary-school staff,…

A review of literature and interviews with 57 teachers were conducted to determine general measures and specific strategies to improve teacher satisfaction and reduce teacher dissatisfaction. The 57 interviewees were teachers who had resigned from the New South Wales (Australia) Department of School Education in 1991. The interviews revealed that…

This study was conducted to identify the ways that superintendents in rural school districts deal successfully with restructuring. The analysis is based on interviews with superintendents and principals in four rural districts. The districts, in Texas and Oklahoma, were selected especially for their successful restructuring programs. The two Texas…

Educators' perceptions of the effects of state mandated testing on instructional practices and curricular decisions were studied. An ethnographic interview study was conducted with 30 fifth- and sixth-grade teachers and 12 principals from Illinois, New York, and Tennessee. Forty-one of the 42 respondents agreed to have their interviews audiotaped.…

The notion of phenomenal causality of C. Kraft (1991) was applied in the formulation of a self-report instrument to measure student perceptions of the dimensions of academic success. Instrument items were inspired by the students themselves in several hours of dialogue. Subjects were 55 male and 49 female black high school students at a summer…

This guide offers ideas and techniques for projects designed to enhance the social and linguistic experiences of students participating in international exchanges. The first section outlines potential topics and procedures for projects conducted in the home, school, or local environment during stays in foreign countries. Most are based on site…

This study investigates the problem-solving strategies that second-language students from different educational backgrounds bring with them to an academic writing task. Three students who participated in this study are discussed in this report: one student who experienced uninterrupted education in her native language, completing high school in…

Forming a genuine partnership with parents from across the social spectrum is one of the challenges facing schools. The development of a "family room"--a basic meeting place and playroom with comfortable furniture, toys, a tea kettle, and other equipment for families--became a collaborative adventure shared by parents, staff, and a local…

This paper examines the role of work in a psychology work/study curriculum at Antioch College (Ohio), and argues that the view of student's work that is described may represent a missed opportunity to help students learn. Students, through interviews and journal entries, provided their opinions regarding if and in what ways their classes…

The framework and results of a study exploring the effects of alternative assessment on mathematics teaching are reported. The instrument for the observation of alternative assessment in the classroom, based on the processes defined by P. L. Peterson (1988), is described along with a discussion of the methodology and the data implications.…

This report contains case studies of two teachers who attempt to go beyond traditional mathematics curriculum and instruction. There are important differences in the contexts of teaching and in the approaches to studying teaching and learning in these two classrooms. Case study 1 describes a teacher who draws upon professional experiences to…

Current research and learning theory suggest that a hierarchy of proportional reasoning exists that can be tested. Using G. Vergnaud's four complexity variables (structure, content, numerical characteristics, and presentation) and T. E. Kieren's model of rational number knowledge building, an epistemic model of proportional reasoning was…

A study investigated factors in Chinese language maintenance among balanced and pseudo-bilinguals who are second-generation Chinese-Americans. Subjects were 12 fifth-grade students in a Chinese-language school; half were balanced bilinguals (proficient in both languages) and half were pseudo-bilinguals (those in whom skills are more developed in…

The last several years have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of two-way immersion (TWI) programs around the country. These programs integrate native English speakers and language-minority students for academic instruction and aim to promote bilingual proficiency, high academic achievement, and cross-cultural awareness. The expanded…