The I-Search, an interdisciplinary, student-centered inquiry process, is an integral part of an upstate New York middle school's curriculum. Students are immersed in a motivating theme, develop their own search plans, follow and revise these plans as they gather information, and prepare papers as foundations for oral reports, skits, posters, or…

Discusses how a literature and multimedia course for 11th and 12th graders used active-learning experiences to engage students with Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part One." Describes how shouting Hal's soliloquy; constructing a chart of character relations; rewriting a scene in their own words; performing, filming, and critiquing a scene; and…

Cable TV may be an educationally and fiscally sound way to inspire active learning. Creative TV applications help teachers address potentially disabling social and emotional factors. The Cable in the Classroom program offers over 80,000 eligible schools free cable connections, free basic monthly cable service, and copyright clearances for off-air…

Examines ways in which instructors and teaching professionals might work with students in guiding their research to establish good practices in citing and using resources from the World Wide Web. Discusses active learning, experiences at Bucknell University, and using traditional library resources. A final project assignment is appended.…

Proposes two complementary strategies that contribute to opportunities for active learning: one, hyperlink teaching, is an alternative mode of in-class lecture delivery; the second, intelligent slides, resembles information bases that are enhanced with electronic links for use by students outside the classroom. The questionnaire used to gauge…

Shows how adult learning and situated learning principles can be applied to classroom-based software training. Argues that these techniques create instructional strategies that incorporate context-rich activities for work-oriented instruction. (SR)

Focuses on inquiry-based science instruction for third grade elementary school students. Presents an activity on analyzing data using a graph. Explains what students learn from inquiry-based instruction. (YDS)

Indicates the reasons for the lack of success of lecture method among high school students. Compares the constructivist approach to the objectivist approach and discusses student learning differences. Makes recommendations for student learning needs. (Contains 37 references.) (YDS)

Thirty-nine high school students with mild disabilities and poor reading comprehension were trained to use either student-generated or expert-generated cognitive organizers to improve literal and inferential reading comprehension. Following training, both groups exceeded the reading comprehension performance of a control group, and students using…

Argues that drama is one of the most powerful teaching strategies available in the classroom, in all subject areas. Notes reasons drama is not used much. Describes two drama activities used with seventh-grade students, and how they used it (with excitement) as a way of experiencing, thinking through and representing new understandings. (SR)

Defines "Theme Study" with three essential elements: use of broad, powerful ideas; inquiry-based approaches to curricula; and a community of inquiry of students and teacher. Shares experiences in applying these elements and discusses essential aspects of classroom instruction. (DSK)

Discusses how all children must learn to work to overcome a difficulty, take initiative, and make links with what they already know. Illustrates these actions with instructional interactions in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. Notes how teachers can establish a pattern of expectations. Outlines ways teachers can foster active learning, and…

Points out the importance of communication between science students and scientists and explains the benefits of introducing primary literature into biology education. (YDS)

Examines the effects of investigative, open-ended, and inquiry-based labs on students' ability to ask high-level and open-ended questions. Recommends combining direct instruction in questioning with increased background information to improve students' questions. (Contains 19 references.) (YDS)

Recognizes the desire to discuss current environmental issues as a significant learning motive. Describes a course in which a student debates facilitate learning. A student moderator conducts debates between two groups of students, and the debates are organized using lecture material, internet searches, numerical analysis, and research projects.…