As a classroom organization and instructional method, cooperative learning merits serious consideration for use in thinking classrooms. Cooperative learning is more than just groupwork. In traditional group learning, students work in groups with no attention paid to group functioning, whereas in cooperative learning, group work is carefully…

A study determined whether a pattern of continuing failure in reading for three remedial second graders could be changed and the students brought to grade level as measured by the Ginn Reading Program, when taught with brain compatible techniques (including active learning, cooperative learning, feedback, individual instruction, and risk taking).…

A study examined different teaching styles to determine which was more beneficial to a kindergartner. The study was conducted through the first marking quarter of the school year. Subjects were 24 kindergartners in a suburban, middle class community within the New York City School District. Students were divided into three sample groups meeting in…

The purpose of this report is to outline the state of the art in calculus assessment and to indicate directions for explorations in assessment that will enable educators to gain a deeper understanding of student learning in order to improve student learning through calculus instruction. The purpose is accomplished in the context of two major…

The Self-Regulated Learning Inventory was developed to help researchers and teachers understand the concept of self-regulated learning and to provide a tool for identifying behaviors students need for academic success. Version One of the instrument contained 71 items representing the factors of metacognition, learning strategies, motivation,…

This book provides a focused, extended response to the question How does standards-based science instruction look and feel in the classroom? This question is addressed by considering two related issues: (1) "How can teachers cultivate the quality of scientific thinking and understanding defined by standards?" and (2) "How can…

This book consists of creative drama activities that introduce, review, and reinforce content material across the curriculum. Step-by-step procedural outlines and actual scripts are included. Chapter 1, "An Overview," presents a definition of creative drama, describes the benefits of using it in the classroom, and outlines suggestions and…

Conclusions derived from drawing research indicate that young children can be trained to see and respond to the distinctions of their observation and that these distinctions can enrich their drawing experiences. These distinctions include spatial information obtained from observation. Three basic factors influence young children's spatial…

This handbook is designed to address teachers' most common concerns about learning disabilities (LDs) and teaching adults with LDs. Section 1 defines LDs by describing traits that adults with LDs share. Section 2 focuses on identification of students with LDs. LD characteristics are divided into eight categories: academics, speech/language, motor…

Metacognition, or thinking about thinking, is an awareness of and control over one's own thinking behavior. This guide for teaching metacognitive reflection in the classroom is divided into three sections that highlight the arenas where metacognition can occur: planning, monitoring, and evaluating. Within each section, 10 specific strategies are…

A majority of the empirical studies on questioning has focused on the effects of prior knowledge on the number and type of questions asked. Research has not been able to find support for the frequency hypothesis and the specificity hypothesis in questioning. The focus of these studies is briefly criticized, and a detailed critical assessment is…

This paper describes an innovative course in educational administration and presents students' reactions to the experience. The class was based on the constructivist perspective, which emphasizes the individual's construction of reality through dialogue, observation, writing, and reflection. The class was organized to focus students on the purpose…

This document presents the initial set of research findings for social studies that is part of Project BETTER, a project of the Maryland State Department of Education to promote more effective instruction. The project has three major objectives: (1) to identify current research on effective instruction; (2) to synthesize this research in the form…

This conference paper reports on research related to inquiry and how to infuse this approach into teacher training for pre-service elementary teachers. By using personal experiences of a three month visit to California elementary schools and a driving tour of England, these experiences are correlated to inquiry training with a model adapted from…

New conceptions of learning, analogy, and capacity have fundamentally changed scientists' view of cognitive development. New conceptions of learning help to explain how representations of the world are acquired. New models of analogical reasoning have suggested that logical inferences are often made by mapping a problem into a mental model, or…