This US study investigates interactive associations between structure in inquiry-type learning activities and academic attainment in high school science with introductory college science performance as the outcome. Past studies of this type have tended to use smaller samples and shorter-range methods of assessing the influence of interactions.…

This article explores an opportunity for the cultivation of moral dispositions through the hermeneutical activity performed by learners engaged in the study of texts. It seeks to direct teachers' attention to potential moral dimensions of the hermeneutical activity itself, an activity that might otherwise be perceived merely as a means to…

This article contains investigative activities to assist students in constructing formulas out of an understanding of the area of geometric shapes. Included with this article are a "Finding Areas on Square Dot Paper Activity Sheet" and a "Finding Areas on Triangle Dot Paper Activity Sheet." (Contains 1 table and 11 figures.)

Mrs. Keenan, a preschool teacher, observed her 3-year-old granddaughter Riley pull, tug, and stack piles of holiday boxes on the floor. She remembered that her child care director had suggested using boxes as a curriculum theme, but she hadn't given much thought about the idea until now. She said to herself, "I wonder if my children would be as…

When first encountered, inverse square laws can damage the confidence of beginning physics students whose maths skills are uncertain. Engaging in practical exercises that help them work with the idea can be a great help. We have used the following apparatus for a number of years and our students understand and enjoy the exercise.

Students, including advanced students, often lack the knowledge, confidence, and experience to participate effectively in competitive, bartering, or conflict situations. The concept that influencing skills are not limited to those in authority and can be learned comprises the framework for this teaching activity. The credible and adaptable…

In the early 1990s, the National Science Foundation funded many research projects for improving statistical education. Many of these stressed the need for classroom activities that illustrate important issues of designing experiments, generating quality data, fitting models, and performing statistical tests. Our paper describes such an activity on…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study the learning of entrepreneurs in authentic learning environments. The research questions are: How do entrepreneurs assess their compentencies, and how do employees and external consultants assess the compentencies of these entrepreneurs? What are the competence strengths and weaknesses of…

This article attempts to explore the concept of the professional learning community from the critical discourse perspective. Instead of viewing collective learning as being controlled by higher levels within the school hierarchy as a means to increase power, critical discourse seeks to uncover how power, knowledge, and truth are continuously being…

This paper analyses two perspectives, a macro and a micro perspective, on changes in the workplace in relation to workplace learning. It critically evaluates what kind of phenomena both perspectives can account for. Research from a macro perspective focuses on changes in economy or on organisational change. It helps to explore the role of lifelong…

Preschool and kindergarten teachers must make decisions everyday about how much to allow their children to talk out loud to themselves during various classroom activities. The present study examines the effects of children's private speech use on task performance for a group of behaviorally at-risk children and a group of control children during a…

Interactive whiteboards have been rapidly introduced into all primary schools under UK Government initiatives. These large, touch-sensitive screens, which control a computer connected to a digital projector, seem to be the first type of educational technology particularly suited for whole-class interaction. Strong claims are made for their value…

Mock excavations, or "dig boxes," offer students a hands-on opportunity to explore artifacts and their importance and to learn the principles of context and stratigraphic association. The dig box can be central to discussing differences that existed between classes, races, ethnic groups, and the sexes at different times in history. By…

In the "Solar Sprint" activity, students design, test, and race a solar-powered car built with Legos. The use of ratios is incorporated to simulate the actual work of scientists and engineers. This method encourages fourth-grade students to think about multiple variables and stimulates their curiosity when an activity doesn't come out as…

This article discusses the teaching of intercultural awareness together with language in foreign contexts. Following a brief discussion of what culture means, the author presents a three-stage intercultural approach for teaching EFL students. For each stage, the author explains the goals and provides five activities as examples. As a follow-up,…