Examines New York State's draft social studies curriculum framework as a case of constructivist thinking in curriculum policy. Elaborates constructivist thought and practice, chronicles the framework's development, and analyzes it on three dimensions: learning, teaching, and subject matter. The tension between constructivist and traditional…

Reports on a study that used high school students to test the assumptions of the multiple hypothesis theory posited by Lawson to explain the essence of scientific reasoning. Contains 19 references. (DDR)

Describes the constructivist approach and how it can be implemented in a science activity on calcium carbonate, hard water, and the polyphenols extracted from boiling tea bags. (DKM)

Discusses the use of multimedia software and the need to apply constructivist theories so students become more involved with the software, progressing from simply watching presentations to creating simulations. A project-based learning environment that uses MicroWorlds software is described that focuses on marine biology and oceanography. (LRW)

Many have tried to define the concept of visual literacy (VL), but so far there is no consensus. Reviews the literature to develop a definition of VL and explores the parameters of VL, the movement and its aims, its educational significance, and the potential benefits of teaching VL. (PEN)

Analysis of episodes from a mathematics course for prospective elementary teachers run as a whole-class constructivist teaching experiment provides a detailed look at how classroom norms for mathematical justification were established given the prospective teachers' traditional expectations of school mathematics and the teacher's reform-oriented…

Presents an activity that explores the derivation of Pi. Involves students taking a constructivist role by collecting data, making conjectures, and using the data to construct graphs and tables and discourse about appropriate algebraic representations. Uses the computer as an instructional aid to enable students to view the data in a variety of…

Understanding situated learning requires bridging sociocultural and cognitive theories. The reconciliation of cognitive and sociocultural theories provides a basis for accounting for ways situations influence the coconstruction of knowledge. The proposed framework accounts for the complementarily of the two perspectives and shows how arrangements…

Undergirded by a constructivist framework, the Foxfire teaching approach helps teachers and students develop ownership for learning. The paper summarizes the 11 Foxfire core practices and describes a Foxfire course for teachers. Teachers' responses to the training demonstrate that having the approach modeled is a powerful tool for changing their…

The challenge for education in today's knowledge age is developing students' capacity for sustained creative work with ideas. Although even the youngest students don't fear the abstract, working to improve ideas is an acquired disposition. Creative production is a progressive design process. Software is described in which students, as a community,…

Describes the Online Student Resource Centre Web site, developed at Monash University (Australia), which offers stand-alone tutorials. Outlines the process and philosophy of development of the tutorials, based on a constructivist framework, with guided and self-directed learning paths designed to accommodate a range of learning styles. (LRW)

Describes three theories supporting reading instruction--schema theory, the constructivist approach, and literary response theory--and offers best classroom practices that support these theories. Provides a sample lesson illustrating possible cross-curricular interactions, also considered a best practice. (EV)

Describes how elementary school teachers who work with bilingual students facilitate the learning of scientific concepts and skills through writing as they implement a science-based, interdisciplinary curriculum that uses a sheltered constructivist approach. (Author/NB)

Notes that beginning teachers mimic the teaching of their college instructors; however, not many of the strategies students observe and mimic are supported by recent reform efforts. Proposes that college and university science instructors must recognize their impact on science teacher education and adjust their strategies to be consistent with the…

Describes an education initiative developed by a company in Malaysia, the KDU, to implement a student-centered, teacher-facilitated, educational technology-enabled and knowledge-based learning environment. Explains the KDU e-Community Network that enables passive, interactive, collaborative, and constructivist learning for a variety of…