What is meant when people say that "learning environments are increasingly complex"? What is known about the cognitive processing that occurs during complex learning? How can educators provide effective instructional support for students who must learn and apply complex knowledge? These questions, and related issues, have fascinated educators and…

The traditional discussion of language issues is extended to multicultural settings by looking at how language shapes and is shaped by diverse cultural experiences. This review of existing studies shows that the acquisition of culture-specific communicative competence and socialization patterns plays a significant role in language acquisition and…

A study used the standardized Group Embedded Figures Test to assess field dependence-field independence among groups of vocational education teachers of varied ages and teaching backgrounds. The sample consisted of 170 volunteers who were vocational education teachers and trainers in the process of completing the requirements for either a diploma…

College students enrolled in developmental mathematics and elementary algebra courses typically make the same mistakes repeatedly. Moreover, the same mistakes are made every semester, regardless of the students involved. Lev Vygotsky's concept of fossilization, which refers to the phenomenon of learning being lost over time and only behaviors…

Research findings related to constructivism have been applied to development of the Equipped for the Future (EFF) Framework and Continuum of Performance, a multi-dimensional developmental description of performance serving as a foundation for EFF-based instruction and assessment of learner progress. Acquiring expertise is a complex developmental…

These 2 volumes include papers and abstracts of papers presented at the August 2002 "The Way We Think" conference in Denmark. Papers and abstracts of papers in the two volumes include: "Blending and Conceptual Disintegration" (Anders Hougaard); "Levels of Blending, Disintegration, and Language Evolution" (Carl Bache); "Conceptual Integration,…

Focus is on an assessment model that integrates process-oriented and eclectic approaches to cognitive, linguistic, motoric, and social assessment of this population. (Author/DLS)

Discusses the value of classifying the errors adult language learners make and of comparing them to errors made by children. It is suggested that teachers correct student errors in the same way parents correct children's errors in order to encourage successful learning. (CFM)

A technique using verbal analysis of photographs for the controlled syntactic manipulation of material suggested by the picture is described. This activity develops thinking skills, language skills, and cultural awareness. (PMJ)

Describes a literature-based approach to helping primary students become more proficient problem solvers in mathematics. Literature-based activities were chosen to develop a sense of community in the classroom. This enabled students to develop the self-confidence to share thoughts and feelings while problem solving in small-group and class…

Using the children's book "Tops and Bottoms" by Janet Stevens--an adaptation of the classic fable of the Tortoise and the Hare--students are given opportunities to build connections between a problem-solving situation and mathematics and to communicate solutions through writing, symbols, and diagrams. A key concept is to demonstrate to students…

Outlines three basic learning modalities--auditory, visual, and tactile--and notes that technology can help incorporate multiple modalities within each lesson, to meet the needs of most students. Discusses the importance in multiple modality teaching of effectively assessing students. Presents visual, auditory and tactile activity suggestions.…

Defends the full transfer/full access (FT/FA) model, which hypothesizes that the initial state of second-language (L2) acquisition is the final state of L1 acquisition (full transfer) and failure to assign a representation to input data will force subsequent restructuring. The article considers two other competing hypotheses as well as several…

Presents a qualitative study of the sociocultural teaching and learning system involved in an introductory direct metal-sculpture studio class. Discusses the cognitive, affective, and physical processes that take place through the social exploration of material, form, and concepts. Includes a graphic model of the learning process. (MJP)

Observations and interviews with preservice elementary teachers examined their beliefs, conceptions, and practices and their views of mathematical and pedagogical content knowledge, noting whether they changed during a mathematics methods course. Results revealed symbiotic relationships between their views of content knowledge and their…