Describes a sequence of four studies that explored how people composed sentences while writing expository essays. Among the findings were that the sentence composition process was often guided by a writing plan, and the most frequent changes accomplished by revision of parts were word choice, aspect of meaning, and grammatical structure. (HOD)

A study of variations in pupils' prior knowledge for their influence on the sequencing mode of text presentation found prior knowledge reduced the effect of size of sequencing procedures. A second experiment comparing performance of pupils with low prior knowledge level using websequence and linear sequence found webteaching was superior.…

Discusses components of an educational plan which supports acquisition of computer programing skills by elementary school children, including antecedent knowledge required (sequencing, similarity, character recognition, part/whole relationships, conditional forms, repetition, and incrementation); initial programing concepts; and outcomes valuable…

Finds that a story mapping procedure significantly improved fifth-grade students' comprehension, but finds no difference between a typical basal lesson using a discussion of oral and written questions as a review and a story map as a review to improve comprehension. (FL)

Discusses materials in the ERIC system concerning knowledge or schemata children have when they come to class, behaviors a teacher may observe, and suggestions teachers can keep in mind when planning creative activities that support children's meaning-making efforts. (HTH)

Argues that when students in Third World nations use foreign materials and encounter a culture-concept gap, their teachers need coping mechanisms that help build up the students' store of background knowledge. (FL)

This report adds to the work on recognition of prior learning (RPL), particularly as it focuses on private registered training providers' RPL processes--how it is practiced and the factors that facilitate or impede its implementation. It reports that advantages of RPL can be found in the information gained from students', trainers' and employers'…

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how secondary teachers implement culturally responsive literacy instruction in their content areas. Culturally responsive instruction makes connections with students' backgrounds, interests, and experiences to teach the standards-based curriculum. Learning becomes more meaningful and relevant as teachers…

Critical thinking is an important learning outcome for college students. A review of the literature shows that this skill is affected by a number of factors, including exposure to cultural diversity. The University of Guam (UOG) located in the western Pacific is multicultural and multilingual. Using data from focus groups, this study examined the…

Based on part of a line of research on children's prior knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about topics addressed in the traditional K-3 social studies curriculum, a study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic of government. Individual interviews were conducted with K-3 students (n=96), stratified…

This study investigated patterns and effects of cognitive tools usage during engagement with an open-ended hypermedia learning environment. Seven technical institute students engaged in problem-solving tasks concerning anatomy and physiology. They used 16 cognitive tools embedded in a hypermedia system and their tool use patterns and corresponding…

This study identified instructional strategies that family and consumer science teacher candidates found useful, noting why the strategies aided their learning. A 2-hour lesson on classroom management using small group theory was selected based on its ties to constructivist pedagogy. Before teaching the lesson, the instructor described her…

The traditional K-3 social studies curriculum has focused on food, clothing, shelter, communication, transportation, and other cultural universals, but little information exists about children's prior knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about these topics. This study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic…

This lesson supports third- through fifth-grade students' exploration of multiple online sources to gather information about the life of a well-known explorer, Christopher Columbus. During the two 50- to 60-minute sessions, students will: use prewriting (a K-W-L chart) to prepare for research; use prior knowledge to extend the depth of inquiry;…

This book describes the classrooms and homes of working class children struggling not only to learn to read but also to deal with the kind of subjectivity that literacy simultaneously holds out to and refuses them. One theme threaded throughout the book concerns the ways in which students' engagements with literacies are connected with their own…