Describes a study of undergraduates in Israel that examined the relationship between two distance learning ICT (information and communication technology)-based configurations. Results indicate that psychological attitudes held by students differentially facilitate efficient use of distance learning approaches. Considers satisfaction with learning,…

Reports on two studies of student teachers that investigated the effect of asking learners to answer questions when learning in a hypertext environment. Discusses effects on concept learning from three learning environments: no response or feedback, analysis using a multiple choice questionnaire, and rule generation by students. (Author/LRW)

Describes the application of activity theory to considerations of enhancing learning through the use of technology in higher education. Includes two case studies that explore the use of ICT (information and communication technology), one using computer-mediated conferencing and one using a Web site. (Author/LRW)

Suggests that prior to teaching reading skills all staff need to agree on a set of labels and determine how they will teach those skills in the classroom. Offers specific strategies for music and art teachers that can be used by any teacher. (NB)

Describes a teaching method that employs a variety of techniques--including psychology--to reduce math anxiety in basic skills math classes. States that when these types of efforts were made to reduce math anxiety, students received more satisfactory grades and fewer repeats and unsatisfactories. (NB)

Discussion of the design and development of multimedia learning materials to foster sound pedagogy focuses on a set of 10 principles that reflect current beliefs about the processes and contexts of optimal learning, especially within multimedia environments. Highlights include motivation, prior knowledge, learner control, critical literacy, and…

Analyzes the traditional role of students in mathematics classes, challenging the idea that students simply listen to their instructors and learn to solve problems. Suggests that math students should also be able to communicate verbally their understanding of mathematical problems. (Contains 68 references.) (NB)

Shows how box diagrams and AVOW diagrams may be used to solve problems concerning networks of resistors that obey Ohm's Law. Presents outcomes and feedback from students and teachers. Concludes with suggestions as to how these techniques might be incorporated into the teaching of basic circuit theory. (Contains 22 references.) (DDR)

Shows how the tobacco mosaic virus can be used in conjunction with the common bean plant Phaseolus vulgaris to provide a discernable, experimental model that students can use to study induced resistance. (Contains 17 references.) (DDR)

This article reviews 15 research studies published from 1990 to 2000 examining effects of cooperative learning strategies on the academic achievement of students with learning disabilities. Despite design problems, the review finds that cooperative learning strategies that incorporate individual accountability and group rewards are likely to…

Tells a story of children with learning problems responding to scientific inquiry while practicing their literacy learning in ways their teachers never anticipated. Notes the students exhibited greater focus, more positive interactions, and a sustained interest. Suggests that the children not only learned scientific concepts, but also had many…

Outlines the differences between inferences and assumptions in critical thinking processes. Explains that as students develop critical intuitions, they increasingly notice how their point of view shapes their experiences. (AUTH/NB)

Describes two projects that incorporated inquiry into urban educational settings. Offers practical considerations for employing technology-enhanced inquiry in the classroom and discusses broader theoretical issues related to the contribution of technology to literacy learning and motivation when students ask their own significant learning…

Mayer and Wittrock (1996) have raised the specificity-generality issue as it applies to the teachable aspects of problem-solving transfer. Simply put, do the instructional practices that foster more efficient acquisition-learning of problem-solving strategies automatically foster more efficient problem-solving transfer? On the basis of the present…

Describes the refinement of a conception in the domain of linear functions. Examples show how students refine their use of the x-intercept in equations of the form "y=mx+b" by narrowing problem contexts, making connections between conceptions, using a mathematical procedure, and refining verbal descriptions. Resources that teachers can draw on to…