The toys children use during play are extremely important in their development. Anthropologists have found evidence of toys dating back as far as the first record of human life and among all cultures. Toys can be an entertaining and educational way for children to learn and respond to social situations, and they give children the opportunity to…

The background to Charles Darwin's little-known visit to Australia, and the account of his experiences while here, provide some invaluable historical material for teaching evolution, geology, meteorology, and the determination of longitude. Indeed, by using his Australian experiences as a foundation, it is possible to explain the theory of…

The literature has noted that some mathematical analogs are more effective than others for the teaching of fractions. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of seven mathematical analogs commonly used in the teaching of the partitive quotient fraction construct. A sample of twelve purposively selected Year Three children were presented with…

This paper argues that academic service learning at the undergraduate level provides an accessible and powerful crucible for exploring a career in teaching while also providing needed literacy experiences for children. Undergraduate service learning programs can include direct and authentic experiences that enroll, engage, and stimulate both…

This paper presents reflections on the power of project work as it enhances the character development and self-awareness of the young child. Examples from projects illustrate the development of these human values based on project investigations of 4- and 5-year-old children from Hong Kong International School. The first set of investigations…

Noting that the reporting-to-writing route is sometimes circuitous and rough, although reliable, this essay collection considers the road from writing journalism to writing other literary genres such as fiction and poetry. The collection points out that newspapers have provided a proving ground for many aspiring authors, from Walt Whitman and Mark…

This paper briefly traces the history of 4-H youth development programs, explains what youth development is, and shows how the experiential learning model is used in 4-H. Begun over 75 years ago as a means of extending the learning of the land-grant university to rural youth, 4-H is part of the Cooperative Extension Service. The curriculum…

The Sixth Floor museum in Dallas, Texas, is dedicated to the memory of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The museum's success as a learning/instructional environment may be explained through a theory of learning and instructional design based on three components: authentic presence, collective design, and sacred connection. "Authentic…

Understanding why students are not naturally and easily able to generalize or apply what they have learned in other situations involves understanding what teachers want their students to learn; what learning is; what teaching is; and what is involved in generalizing or applying what has been learned. Research in educational psychology identifies…

Prior to the 20th century the picture of a pre-designed universe was paralleled by the idea that only an external authority, like a deity or a scientific system of verification, could confirm what was or was not genuine knowledge. Today, the idea that knowledge and external authority are symbiotic partners continues to buttress descriptions of…

This paper describes a study of a speech community, a group of approximately 10 women, aged 25 to 65, who met at least 3 times a month to knit, drink coffee, and chat. The paper notes that knitting circles have survived through history because they serve a social function that surpasses historical events--they are communities that co-construct the…

This study investigated the tacit knowledge of highly productive and influential scholars in educational administration. Tacit knowledge is personal knowledge so thoroughly grounded in experience that it cannot be fully expressed. Some researchers suggest it is a marker of practical intelligence. Individual, indepth, semistructured interviews were…

Means-end analysis was used to examine the linkages between elements of an Outward Bound course and the personal benefits and outcomes obtained or reinforced by course completion. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 216 persons, who completed a course at the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Respondents were aged 14-66 (83…

This paper describes the use of simulated appellate court proceedings as an educational tool in U.S. undergraduate colleges and universities (and schools worldwide). Undergraduate moot court is less common in the United States than is the law school form of appellate simulation. Research shows that moot courts benefit students as they perform…

Teacher knowledge and skills are critical elements in the student learning process. Action research serves as an increasingly popular technique to engage teachers in educational change in classrooms. This document focuses on action research reports of elementary school teachers. Chapters include: (1) "First Graders' Beliefs and Perceptions of…