Focuses on the role of Thought Experiments (TEs) in ongoing processes of conceptual refinement for physicists and physics learners. Analyze TEs related to stellar evolution and general relativity. Identifies the stages at which crucial errors are made in these TEs and the cognitive processes which lead to these errors. Discusses implications for…

Presents an exploration of conversation in a single episode of a 12th grade girls' calculus class. Analyzes Habermasian communicative competence which requires students to show critical thinking and the ability to express their views. Explains learning outcomes by teachers' mode of questioning, cooperative endeavor by students, instructional…

Develops an instrument for measuring secondary students' cognitive conflict levels as they learn science. Indicates that cognitive conflict consists of four constructs: (1) recognition of an anomalous situation; (2) interest; (3) anxiety; and (4) cognitive reappraisal of the conflict situation. Discusses implications for instruction and…

Assigned middle school and high school instrumentalists to listen and rate twelve performances: four without accompaniment, four with CD accompaniment, and four with piano accompaniment. Reports that CD accompaniment rated highest and piano the lowest. States that students consistently assigned the best feature and the aspect needing most practice…

Discusses the development of the British educational system and perceptions of teacher's classroom roles. Focuses on pedagogical teaching methods of 17th century English character literature in character education development. Concludes that this era of teachers demonstrated an interest in the complexities of the learning process. (KDR)

Investigated portfolios as a means of generating the evidence necessary to make judgments about student teachers' teaching and understanding. Data from institutions currently using portfolios indicated that teacher educators focused on rallying evidence that students were meeting standards without much opportunity for meaningful dialogue about…

Four computer-animated tasks were created to analyze the underlying structure of emerging phonological awareness at 3.5 years of age and to explore factors that influence children's (n=91) performance. The children were able to master tasks demanding identification, blending, and continuation of phonological units. Analysis supported two major…

This article offers suggestions on enhancing emotional vocabulary in early childhood education settings. A schematic of children's emotional literacy is followed by ways to build emotional vocabulary by teaching directly, teaching incidentally, or utilizing special activities. Suggestions also address teaching children to recognize feelings in…

A review of 37 single subject design studies examined evidence-based practices for young children with autism. Practices with well established evidence of effectiveness were adult-directed teaching and differential reinforcement. Emerging and effective practices included peer-mediated interventions, visual supports, self-monitoring, and family…

This article focuses on understanding the teaching and learning of division from a constructivist perspective. An overview of constructivism is provided, followed by a discussion of division in the context of both computation and word problem solving. Suggestions are provided for teaching students with learning disabilities using a constructivist…

Examined code-mixing, a little-known technique used in teaching vocabulary. Found that using code-mixing to introduce new vocabulary can be an efficient and effective method. Discusses procedures and cognitive processes involved in vocabulary learning and explains the use of code mixing to introduce vocabulary. (Author/VWL)

Reports a case study of a Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language program for third and fourth graders in a Canadian elementary school. Attempts to investigate the feasibility of adopting a content-based approach to achieve the dual goals of language and culture learning for young beginners. (Author/VWL)

The traditional approach to educating language minority students separates English language development from content instruction because it is assumed that English proficiency is a prerequisite for subject matter learning. Takes an alternative view that the integration of inquiry science and language acquisition enhances learning in both domains.…

Describes a pilot project for MATLAB work in both information communication technology (ICT) and mathematics. The ICT work is on flowcharts and algorithms and discusses ways of communicating with computers. Mathematics lessons involve early algebraic ideas of variables representing numbers. Presents an activity involving number sequences. (KHR)

Reviews five methods of representing cognitive structures: (1) free word association; (2) controlled word association; (3) tree construction; (4) concept map; and (5) flow map. Discusses the applications as well as the limitations of these methods by comparing the types of analysis that are generated. (Contains 37 references.) (Author/YDS)