Becoming a qualitative researcher requires an extensive education. The training is rigorous and the knowledge base is vast, but the most difficult realization for many novice researchers is the heavy emphasis on the "self as research instrument." This study examined novice researchers from three introductory qualitative methods classes.…

This paper reports on an investigation of how students, parents, and staff of 2 schools with reputations for success (they were among 21 schools in the Canadian Education Association's Exemplary School Project) experience and understand leadership. Specifically, the study, guided by a constructivist conception of leadership, sought to find out how…

Dull classroom environments, poor students' attitudes and inhibited conceptual development led to the creation of an innovative mathematics program, the Class Banking System (CBS), which enables teachers to use constructivist ideas and approaches. To assess the effectiveness of the CBS, actual and preferred versions of the Individualized Classroom…

This document describes a study that implemented active learning into a large introductory biology course. Five approaches were employed to promote the active learning: name badges, cooperative learning groups, large group discussion, in-class written responses, and written take-home assignments. The active learning approach takes more time than a…

This paper discusses the importance of scaffolding and other techniques in teaching reading. It details numerous ways to employ scaffolding, such as the following: a teacher may read aloud new passages while students follow along; a teacher may print new words on the chalkboard before students read a passage which uses the words; and teachers may…

This book provides clear-cut insights along with practical suggestions on how to develop teaching competencies and strategies and implement inquiry as called for by the national standards. The chapters in this book take the reader through constructing an understanding of inquiry and the characteristics of an inquiry-based classroom, then address…

The task of making a career decision can seem daunting for many young people. Careers do not always follow a straightforward, logical trajectory, and chance events can define or change the course of one's career path. Youth may benefit from a learning environment designed to guide the imagining and inventing of their future. A wide range of…

A brief overview of the role of emotions in facilitating client change from a constructivist perspective is provided in this paper. With this background in place, several case studies will be discussed to illustrate the impact and role of emotions in facilitating change in counseling and career development. (Author)

Through a discussion of the discursive origins that have constructed childhood over the past 200 years, this paper illuminates why psychology has gained a dominant role in the education of young children. This historical account is followed by an analysis of widely used textbooks in child development courses. Discovering that each textbook…

Contrasting approaches to early childhood education are evident in the constructivist versus instructivist schools of thought. On one side, the child is seen as active constructor of knowledge and understanding; on the other, the child is dependent on another's instruction in knowledge and skills. This paper explores some of the implications of…

The nationalities of the authors reflect the purpose of the Topic Group, to give an overview of international research on mathematics teaching within a constructivist framework as of 1996. The studies are theoretical as well as empirical, and show a variety of research interests. There is, however, evidence for an emphasis on social aspects within…

Constructivist approaches to mathematics instruction based on the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) have been widely advocated and are expanding in use. However, many educators express a need for constructivist approaches that provide specific student materials, assessments, teachers' manuals, professional…

Fixing the blame for low student achievement is not easy. As the example of the Los Angeles, California, school district shows, the problems schools face are complicated. They include overcrowding, low test scores, and the problems associated with numbers of students who do not speak English well. Low student achievement is not necessarily due to…

As an evaluation team trained in educational psychology and committed to participatory evaluation and its evolution, the researchers have found the parallel between evaluator-stakeholder roles in the participatory evaluation process and educator-student roles in educational psychology theory to be important. One advantage then is that the theories…

There is a new wave going on in the Dutch Adult Education, similar to the ideas of Open Learning Centers in Further Education in Great Britain. The intention of this movement is to structure adult education in a way that it fits everyone. That means: more flexible programs, more individual education, more teacher independent learning, and more…