This brochure presents an introduction to the Choices for the 21st Century Education Project. The project seeks to promote discussion of current issues in the high school classroom. Of particular focus are topics pertaining to international relations. Central to the Choices approach are analyzing issues, articulating viewpoints, respecting the…

These brochures provide simple, specific activities parents can use during the summer to enhance their children's academic and social skills. The brochure for grades K-3 provides activities in the areas of reading, writing, math, and science. The brochure for grades 4-5 provides activities in the areas of reading, writing, math, and social…

Collaboration can improve the quality of services provided to rural students with low-incidence disabilities such as autism. When there are few of these children scattered over a wide geographic area, they cannot be clustered for services. Other rural problems include inadequate funding, lack of qualified staff, need for staff training, inadequate…

Whether gender differences in performance using computer software are due to sex stereotyping or gender differentiation in the programs was investigated in two studies. An adventure game, "King and Crown," with all male characters, and a gender neutral game, "Honeybears," were played by 26 female and 26 male 11- and…

This study examined whether the inquiry-based problem solving model supports sustained exploration of a multimedia database. This model contains five steps: (1) analyze the discrepant event from which a problem question is generated; (2) generate questions; (3) gather data; (4) analyze information; and (5) evaluate self. A group of 24 seventh…

The results of the International Assessment of Educational Progress released in February 1992 indicate that in mathematics and science the United States ranks near the bottom, while South Korea and Taiwan rank at the top. This paper compares the nature of mathematical problem-solving instruction in Korean elementary schools to that in American…

Chief academic officers at 1,053 institutions of higher education across the United States were surveyed about the barriers to improving teaching and learning. Using factor analysis, responses were reduced to nine general problem areas. In order of importance from most important to least important, the problems identified were: financial support,…

A conceptual framework is provided for generating assessment tasks that provide an instructor with a richer description of student reasoning/thinking than is possible by simply giving students problems to solve. The application of this framework is illustrated with material from introductory statistics courses which focus on: (1) sampling; (2)…

This report examines the problem of strained relations between State universities and the State government and addresses why this condition might exist for many schools of higher education. It suggests that the proper role of the campus Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in improving state relations, and in all other institutional relations, is as…

This study examined the effects of guided programmed instruction with Logo programming on the development of cognitive processes and thinking skills among college students. Logo programming has been advocated as a powerful tool to help students develop higher order thinking, an awareness of their thinking processes, and problem solving skills;…

The foreknowledge that a given school mathematics problem might have no specific solution or no solution at all affords students the challenge of investing careful consideration in the explicit problem conditions, as well as in the problem's unstated assumptions. Hence, the implication is that mathematics teachers, rather than speaking to their…

Prior to college-level mathematics coursework, students are not routinely provided with the opportunity to engage in the kind of sustained mathematical thinking necessary to solve complex, multistep problems, most likely because of the difficulties that school mathematics teachers face in communicating problem settings and contexts that are…

This guide describes a waste reduction program for Indiana schools, kindergarten through 12th grade. It is designed to be used by any school administrator, teacher, staff person, student and/or parent willing to provide leadership, generate enthusiasm, and publicize the program. By combining traditional lessons with the actual practice of waste…

The following topics and objectives are presented as essential for teachers, principals, and supervisors to study in working towards a modern elementary social studies curriculum: (1) objectives in the social studies; (2) trends in the social studies; (3) scope and sequence; (4) materials used in teaching; (5) readiness in learning; (6) number of…

A sequentially planned program using quality circle techniques was adapted for the educational environment and Implemented in an elementary school in central Florida. The program consisted of 10 sessions designed to acquaint team leaders and administrators with the quality circle techniques and, under the direction of a trained facilitator, to…