In today's digital society, computational thinking (CT) is a critical component of all children's education. In "Computational Thinking Curricula in K-12," editors Harold Abelson and Siu-Cheung Kong present a range of professional perspectives on the most effective ways to integrate CT into school curricula. Their edited volume, which…

Declining academic performance, along with a growing apathy of students toward the value of education, demonstrates that students in the United States public education system do not recognize the value of a positive experience in middle schools. A plethora of research and writing has been done on elementary schools and secondary schools, but…

Consider that colorful photographs, eye-catching illustrations, and captivating images intended to make textbooks more appealing may actually distract students from the lesson at hand. Or that asking students to simply solve math problems might not be as effective as having them explain the steps of solutions that are already worked out--even some…

The paper discusses the need for research-based assessment and curriculum for early intervention with visually impaired infants, pointing out research findings from various disciplines relating to brain damage, intervention, drug therapy, visual assessment, neurodevelopmental facilitation techniques, and sensory development. (CL)

This document features a checklist designed to help teachers keep track of student progress on the Math Standards that are tested by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). A chart of benchmarks assessed in grades 3-5, test items based on the benchmarks, and an answer key and actual checklists are included. (KHR)

The instructional techniques currently in use in many classrooms across the country were developed to teach children the "basics" and to instill good working habits adaptable to the industrial age. Although the term "learning style" first appeared in research literature in the 1950s, it did not burst upon the education scene significantly until…

This book is designed to help educators move from a system that measures students against students to one that values mastery of central concepts and skills, striving for proficiency in publicly acknowledged standards of academic performance. It aims to connect the operative parts of standards-based education (standards, assessment, curriculum,…

The article examines problems which teachers (particularly in preschool programs) have encountered in using behavioral checklists as a basis for curriculum planning. (SBH)

Well-developed lesson plans form the basis of successful training sessions. Each lesson plan has two parts: a cover sheet and a lesson outline. Cover sheets include a variety of information used when an instructor drafts a lesson outline and prepares to conduct a training session. Sections are: course, unit, and lesson titles; presentation time;…

The paper reviews cognitive development during the sensorimotor period (approximately the first two years of life) and considers approaches to assessing multihandicapped, deaf-blind, or severely/profoundly retarded students functioning at this level. Evaluation and training of basic sensorimotor schemes (visual fixation and tracking, sucking, and…

The paper addresses the assessment of sensorimotor and communication skills in profoundly/multiply handicapped children. The problems inherent in assessing this population are described, including lack of validity of developmental norms established on children with intact sensory systems. Factors affecting sensory organization are reviewed,…

This guide to teaching improvement is geared primarily to college faculty and administrators who want to improve teaching. The book covers major themes such as course planning, assessing student learning, lecturing, working with small groups, handling large classes, and the use of new technologies. Based on research findings and experience in…

This book describes two high school teachers' efforts to align curriculum, assessment, and performance standards, troubleshooting issues surrounding content standards, instructional objectives, and curricular aims. Eight chapters examine: (1) "What Does a Competent Classroom Look Like?"; (2) "What Drives a Course?" (e.g.,…

The article describes the Texas "Supplement to the Essential Elements for the Hearing Impaired," an in-depth expansion of the state-mandated essential elements in English Language Arts to include supplemental goals and subgoals for students with language deficiencies caused by hearing loss. Guidelines for assessment and goal selection…

There are cognitive, social, personal, and practical reasons for studying a second language, and the syllabus is shaped by these and the identity of the learners, general and specific course objectives, educational principles, course components, learner input, and student evaluation procedures. A dynamic syllabus addresses four language competence…