National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center, and their partners at other NASA centers and in private industry, are designing and beginning to develop the next generation of spacecraft to transport cargo, equipment, and human explorers to space. These vehicles--the Ares I and Ares V launch…

This report summarizes the 2006-2007 evaluation that was focused toward investigating one primary question: What changes in tool-based, student-centered teaching happen as a result of the infusion of technology and professional development? The research methodology involved the use of trained external researchers from Florida EETT schools…

"Count Us in: Achieving Success for Deaf Pupils" is a timely report. It comes when schools are becoming more confident in dealing with a wide range of additional support for learning needs. Schools are also more aware that they need to personalise experiences in order to meet pupils' learning needs. The report does point to strengths…

With support from the Higher Education Enhancement Project Fund (HEEPF), the Faculty of Science at Helwan University (Egypt) has constructed a number of online courses in support of the graduate diploma in computer sciences programme. All courses in the diploma have a web presence, and the course offerings are now moving towards a much more…

This study reports on exploratory research that investigated biology teachers' perceptions of their online information seeking practices and how these practices influenced their instructional planning activities. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the results of an online survey and ten in-depth interviews measuring use of specific online…

This volume synthesizes the scholarship and practice of the teaching and learning of psychology to create a practical handbook for faculty who work with undergraduates in this discipline. Section 1 establishes the framework with "Principles for Quality Undergraduate Psychology Programs" (Cynthia Baum, and others). Section 2 reviews seven critical…

This study examined characteristics of passive and active learners among college students enrolled in remedial classes and students enrolled in regular academic classes. Active learners are typically analytical, focused on task, tolerant of new ideas, curious, adept at processing information, able to develop other ways to solve a problem,…

This book advocates that teachers of history create for their students a workshop environment where they actually can practice being historians. Adolescents, rather than thinking analytically, prefer to identify strongly with heroes and heroines and to explore their own lives and identity, character and convictions, through heroic stories. This…

Some misconceptions surround youth organizations and their contribution to career and occupational development. The first myth is that student youth organizations have diminishing value to today's vocational education students. The truth is that vocational educators have identified strong vocational student organizations (VSOs) as an essential…

Active learning results in better comprehension and retention of course concepts than passive learning. Experiential exercises (EE's) are a valuable means of achieving the goals of active learning. Well conceived EE's require, among other things, that the student: (1) engage in the gathering of concept-related behavioral data; (2) write a report…

The purpose of this guide is to make available to teachers both curriculum ideas and information about the craft of instruction, and provide information about their adaptation to differing circumstances. Chapter 1 of the guide addresses the "theoretical framework" including the issue of active versus passive learning. Chapter 2 addresses…

The 18 papers in this proceedings describe strategies and practices used in undergraduate psychology courses at two- and four-year colleges. The following presentations are included: "The Costs and Benefits of Critical Thinking," (Randall E. Osborne, Judy Laws, Ken Weadick, and Vicki Mantooth); "What's a Developmentalist To Do?" (Judith Luis);…

Students in an undergraduate course in abnormal psychology annually employ a cooperative active learning model to conduct a 4- to 6-day, values-oriented public policy forum (PPF) within the class itself on a general topic of concern to the field of mental health. A comprehensive and structured five-phase model for a PPF is detailed for course…

Using feature films to teach undergraduate psychology courses can promote active learning for several reasons. Films can reach students with a variety of learning styles, including those with a visual approach to learning. Also, students seem to enjoy commercial films and their use can help decrease levels of monotony from daily lectures. Feature…

An innovative approach to teaching undergraduate psychology in a self-directed group discussion format was implemented at Raymond Walters College, in Ohio, based on premises from the active learning and employee involvement movements holding that adults achieve more when they are actively involved in their own learning and that students are…