This pilot study was conducted in order to determine whether a virtual classroom can be assessed, and whether it can be done using already proven techniques for classroom environment assessment. Study participants were 20 graduate students in education enrolled in three different courses offered at a distance via the World Wide Web. Each of the…

A description and evaluation of the archival materials of the Pontifical College Josephinum (Columbus, Ohio) is presented, with a focus on the founder of the Josephinum, Monsignor Joseph Jessing, and his place within the archives. The paper is intended to provide the administration of the Josephinum with recommendations and to stimulate further…

This conference proceedings document serves to establish the state of the art, highlight important methodological and conceptual issues, and identify priorities for future research in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. The document includes the papers from two opening presentations, issue papers and reactant papers, a…

This qualitative study is a two-part analysis of first year algebra textbooks adopted for use in South Carolina. Part 1 examines the five books selected in the 1984 adoption. This comparison of first year algebra textbooks examined: (1) whether the textbook authors had adjusted the traditional context of math texts at this level to reflect…

Students' experiences are important in shaping their subsequent practice of the teacher role, and teacher educators should look at the connections between life histories, beliefs about teaching, and classroom practice. Five undergraduate seniors and one graduate student (of various ethnic and racial groups) in preservice elementary education…

This study evaluated the training in conflict resolution (CR) and cooperative learning (CL) of about 180 students in an alternative high school (AHS) in New York City. The qualitative methodology included direct observations of students' daily routines, systematic observations of special events, and interviews with key faculty and staff members.…

This case study presents findings from a year-long ethnographic study of an innercity elementary school principal. It concludes one of seven studies conducted in elementary and intermediate schools in urban, suburban, and rural settings to investigate the instructional management role of principals. Although previous research offers disparate…

The ability of the microcomputer to compile voluminous and detailed measures of students' learning activities automatically has seemingly outpaced the ability of commonly-used data analysis methods to make effective utilization of this wealth of potentially useful information. This study explores the use of computer-based quantitative methods,…

A qualitative investigation was undertaken of the impact of a yearlong secondary reading course and practicum on two preservice teachers' beliefs about reading instruction and their actual classroom practices. Course-related data included transcribed interviews with the course instructor, narratives of course observations, and copies of course…

Cognitive science research offers hope for the development of innovative science teaching strategies that facilitate the development of optimally interconnected procedural and declarative knowledge networks. Improving students' neural networks should improve their abilities to think critically, reason logically, learn more efficiently, and solve…

This paper is another installment in the ongoing project on early language learning in a Japanese FLES program, conducted by ELLRT (Early Language Learning Research Team): Richard Donato and G. Richard Tucker with graduate students from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. The Japanese instructor in this FLES program, Yoko…

This paper describes a project in which faculty collaborated with two agencies to facilitate student learning about communication with elders. Data on student learning was collected via survey, focus groups, and reflective writing. Survey results showed that the five most important benefits students rated themselves as gaining from the…

This paper offers some historical perspective on alternative research traditions and discusses some of the basic principles of community-based research as a tool for partnership development. The authors then describe an example of how Calvin College, a Christian comprehensive liberal arts college has used a multi-disciplinary approach in…

This study explored the ways in which early childhood special education teachers supported children's social behavior within the context of their preschool classrooms. Data collected for six children through naturalistic classroom observations were coded and analyzed for emergent themes within a qualitative framework. Findings revealed a variety…

One of a series of six portraits of high school literature classrooms, this paper gives a detailed, evocative characterization of how one "master teacher" (Kevin Tucker) introduced, undertook, and guided the study of literature, focusing in particular on how the teacher interacted with students in the context of discussion of a literary…