Described is an assignment in which students read and write reviews of four journal articles chosen from preselected biology topics. Suggestions to help achieve maximal effectiveness are included. Directions for grading the review articles are provided. Discussed is how this assignment can help students develop more sophisticated writing skills.…

A study compared selected personal and environmental motivational variables in college faculty with allocation of work effort to teaching. Faculty represented the disciplines of English, chemistry, and psychology and various institution types. Self-valuation and perception of the environment motivators significantly accounted for the explained…

Discusses the recent wave of mass sociopolitical mobilization in Eastern Europe. Argues that the models and methods developed after the 1960s have made it difficult for Western students to understand recent movements in the East. Compares waves of mobilization such as the Civil Rights Movement in the United States with incomplete waves of…

A national survey of 211 liberal arts college faculty in biology, economics, English, and political science investigated the ways in which faculty use the popular media, including newspapers and magazines, television, and radio. Faculty characteristics, motivation, and opinions of campus public relations offices were also examined. (MSE)

Two studies involving 801 middle school students examined the effects of changing educational environments on children's academic self-concepts and motivation. Overall, the findings suggest that changing emphases in the educational environment have complicated academic outcomes that depend on the individual resources that children bring to the…

This study examined the effects of school learning variables (quality, motivation, academic coursework, and homework) on high school students' grades across five ethnic groups using data from a national longitudinal study. Results indicated that the variables were important to students' grades. Asian-American students' learning was strongly…

Argues that encouraging creative self-expression should remain a vital part of the art curriculum. Provides a case study and explains how the art teacher can intervene to engage affective concerns by using appropriate works of art. Concludes that increased resources or recognition in the field should not be reasons to replace a child-centered…

Compares responses of teachers participating in curriculum committees at societal and institutional levels of educational system. Differences found in teachers' motivations to join committees and in satisfactions or dissatisfactions they derived from participation. Suggests that curriculum development changes as it becomes farther removed from…

Asserts that when teachers pose problems that yield solutions running counter to students' perceptions, it results in enhanced student interest and motivation and improves thinking skills. Provides examples and three suggested activities for implementing the approach. (CFR)

Contends that one of the most important concerns of preservice teachers centers around the potential of teacher burnout. Discusses issues related to recognizing and remedying teacher burnout. Provides a 12-item bibliography of selected readings on the subject. (CFR)

Discusses positive verbal feedback, or praise, from teachers to students. Presents four purposes for praising students: (1) recognition; (2) encouragement; (3) description; and (4) evaluation. Provides a chart listing criteria for assessing verbal evaluations and a six-item list of suggested readings. (CFR)

Advice for doctoral students and fledgling educational researchers presents the following suggestions: (1) use what is known about problem finding to choose a dissertation topic, (2) be persistent in productivity and in the face of discouragement, and (3) replace the typical dissertation structure with a more functional one. (SLD)

This article explores the possibility of linking essential skills within elementary content areas to Algozzine and Ysseldyke's model of effective instruction. Specifically, suggestions are offered for using handwriting and art to express ideas and feelings. The suggestions address the teaching principles of motivating students and providing…

Describes a classroom activity in which students develop recruitment materials designed to encourage eighteenth-century Europeans to become colonists in North America. Includes instructions for developing assignment sheets and suggests student resources. Contends that this activity always enhances student motivation and enthusiasm. (CFR)

Reports on a study of 454 college-level faculty on the tension between setting up a family and a professional career. Finds data that support the thesis that, in the course of an academic career, a process of selection takes place that has a negative professional impact on women who choose to have a family. (CFR)