Computerized storybook maker programs can motivate young children to learn to read and write as they play. This study compared perceptions and performances of young children and adult students on the StoryBook Weaver program. Participants were 26 first graders and 23 preservice teachers. Both groups of students were asked to compose stories on a…

The goal theory of achievement argues that the goals stressed by schools have dramatic consequences for whether children develop a sense of self-efficacy, or whether they avoid challenging tasks, giving up when faced with failure. It is commonly believed that the goals stressed by Western-oriented schools are inappropriate to indigenous minority…

This project designed a family literacy program for parents with mild learning disabilities, including mental retardation. The program, which was conducted annually for 3 years, was intended to upgrade the reading skills of the parent, and at the same time, upgrade the parents' knowledge of children's literature. The class was designed for a group…

Three approaches to in-service development for teachers (action research, skills development, and materials dissemination) were compared using a multimethod evaluation design with innovation-specific and general outcome measures for students and teachers. Thirty-three teachers and their students participated in a project to teach students how to…

The adoption and impact of curriculum innovation are most commonly researched in terms of roles that teachers and school administrators are expected to play. A study in New Zealand focused on the responses of students. This integrated studies project developed alternative approaches to the traditional junior secondary school curriculum. It…

A study examined critical literacy and how texts, transactions, and talk enabled girls to examine their positions as readers and negotiate their identities in relation to novel characters and one another. Participants were eight sixth-grade girls of European American, African American, and Latina backgrounds and the participant researcher, a white…

Non-traditional learners, adult learners who are age 21 or older, have many obstacles to overcome in their quest for knowledge. This paper investigates affective forces that influence non-traditional learners in a traditional computer lab and in a satellite-delivered instructional setting. Study participants consisted of 58 graduate and…

This study, built upon prior work by E. Pascarella, C. Ethington, and J. Smart (1988), examined the influence of college upon the civic values held by students. Data were obtained from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, a national longitudinal study of college students. Four sets of variables were used: civic values of students in…

This volume is the third in a series of self-portraits of projects that receive funding from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The 31 essays in this volume are grouped around seven main themes: (1) school-to-college transition and retention; (2) rewarding effective teaching; (3) improving teaching and learning; (4)…

This study used naturalistic inquiry methods to examine reasons why some members of minority groups, despite discouraging odds, persist in the sciences or science related disciplines. Interviews were conducted with 10 African American upperclassmen majoring in natural science or science related disciplines at a predominately white coeducational…

In this collection of essays, a group of innovative teachers and writers describe the approaches and techniques they have incorporated into their own language teaching. The articles are designed to help classroom teachers make language classes more participatory and communication oriented. The book is divided into three sections: (1) What Is…

The broad objectives of the Model Technology Schools project were to study the impact of technology on schools and student learning; to develop models for using educational technology as a tool for school management and classroom teaching; and to disseminate these models for use in public schools throughout the state. Research involved site visits…

A year-long study was conducted with a class of 25 eighth graders, their English and science teachers, and the school computer supervisor at a school in Roselle (New Jersey). The structure and goals of the project, called PULSE, for Pupils Using Laptops in Science and English, are described. Research questions focused on the development of…

A difficult task in creating rich, exploratory interactive learning environments is building an environment that is truly engaging. Engagement can be defined as the nexus of intrinsic knowledge and/or interest and external stimuli that promote the initial interest in, and continued use of a computer-based learning environment. Complete and total…

This study explored asynchronous delivery modalities in a distance education program and investigated a paradigm for enhancing interactivity in distance education using CD-ROM, interactive video, and e-mail. The purposes of the investigation were to: (1) create an asynchronous distance learning environment based in these technologies; (2) build…