Presents a novel approach to teaching astronomy and planetary sciences centered on visual images and simulations of planetary objects. Focuses on the study of the moon and the planet Mars by means of observations, interpretation, and comparison to planet Earth. (Contains 22 references.) (Author/YDS)

Tests the hypothesis that, because it uses tri-dimensional sensory pathways which show a higher rate of neural activity than uni- or bi-dimensionals, lab-activity-based instruction is a more effective teaching strategy for learning science than verbal-based instruction. Applies manipulative teaching strategies that use visual, somatosensory, and…

Research shows that young children are able to draw simple maps of their neighborhoods and to recognize features on aerial photographs. Among younger children there is little difference between the mapping ability of boys and girls, but as they grow older, boys consistently perform better in map drawing and map reading. (Author/SK)

Motor skills acquisition in elementary children is facilitated when the cognitive processes of selective attention and rehearsal are applied. Teaching techniques which promote development of these processes include use of verbal cues, mental and verbal rehearsal, questioning, and recall through testing. Sample verbal cues for selected motor skills…

Examines how visualization compares with placebo procedures in reducing communication apprehension (CA) in public speaking classes. Finds that visualization is an active treatment procedure that reduces CA above and beyond the reduction that can be attributed to the "extra-attention" involved in any treatment process. (MS)

Presents an overview of the problems and techniques involved in visualizing humans in a three-dimensional scene. Topics discussed include human shape modeling, including shape creation and deformation; human motion control, including facial animation and interaction with synthetic actors; and human rendering and clothing, including textures and…

Describes several mental theater exercises that act as a powerful antidote to the confused helplessness that remedial readers often endure. Suggests that these exercises help students to learn new ways to achieve control over their own mental processes during reading. (SR)

Describes a method of designing educational technology that is strongly informed by empirical studies of how students actually understand and use technology. Discusses what students need to know about software. (Author/CCM)

Describes how elementary school teachers demonstrated for themselves and their students how using simple drawings and visualization can improve problem-solving ability. (ASK)

Investigates the mathematical practices used by a home designer and builder. Points out the existence not only of diverse forms of mathematics, or ethnomathematics, but also of diverse ways of doing mathematics. Argues that these idiosyncratic ways of mathematizing, whether pertaining to individuals or to entire cultural groups, should be…

Traces a student's use of different types of imagery over an extended period of time in order to determine why the student seldom used imagery to solve problems. Concludes that for most of her school life, the student had been able to rely on analytic processing to complete mathematical tasks and could do so quite successfully. (Contains 30…

The graphing calculator affords the student in analysis a powerful tool to extend visualization, which was previously limited to textbook illustrations and time-consuming constructions. Provides illustrative examples used in initial classroom presentations of several topics including convergence and in student explorations of these topics. (ASK)

Presents four activities in which students cut out and assemble pieces to create Celtic designs. (ASK)

Introduces a new method for the visualization of information retrieval called TOFIR (Tool of Facilitating Information Retrieval). Discusses the use of angle attributes of a document to construct the angle-based visual space; two-dimensional and three-dimensional visual tools; ambiguity; and future research directions. (Author/LRW)

Presents three geometric problems from a workshop for in-service algebra teachers to help them make connections between the mathematical concepts that they know and the drawings that they were required to display on their graphing calculators. (ASK)