According to the author, this innovative lesson plan incorporates virtual reality (VR) technology to foster environmental awareness and care in late primary-age students. Drawing on the place-based education approach and social constructivism in the lesson design, students participate in collaborative project-based learning. The students' task…

This inspiring tool demonstrates how project-based learning (PBL) projects can be used in a variety of settings and provides coaching for educators who aspire to create their own projects. Madigan's book delivers flexible, interdisciplinary, learner-driven projects that support the "National School Library Standards." Readers will find…

Science becomes engaging when students know that what they learn in the classroom relates to their own lives and communities. This article describes a project in which students use field exploration and online software to design virtual solutions to improve the hydrology of their school yard. The project is called Teaching Environmental…

What if you could challenge your 11th graders to figure out the best response to a partial meltdown at a nuclear reactor in fictional Gammatown, USA? With this volume in the "STEM Road Map Curriculum Series," you can! "Radioactivity" outlines a journey that will steer your students toward authentic problem solving while…

Every generation of students comes to the classroom with different needs than that of their predecessors. Implementing new methods and styles of teaching to meet these diverse needs will provide students with the best chance of success in their educational careers. The "Handbook of Research on Pedagogical Models for Next-Generation Teaching…

This paper is intended for engineering educators, high school curriculum designers, and high school teachers interested in integrating authentic, project-based learning experiences into their classes. These types of projects may appear complex, but have many advantages. We characterize the successful implementation of one such project, the…

This article discusses our teaching approach in graduate level Engineering Statistics. It is based on the use of modern technology, learning groups, contextual projects, simulation models, and statistical and simulation software to entice student motivation. The use of technology to facilitate group projects and presentations, and to generate,…

Shows how a university utility building ("boiler house") is used in a chemical engineering course for computer simulations, mathematical modeling and process problem exercises. Student projects involving the facility are also discussed. (JN)

This paper discusses two software packages used in kinematics courses at Purdue University, Calumet (Indiana) and some algorithms written by students for cam design. The first software package, 4BAR, requires the user to define the particular four bar linkage in terms of lengths of the individual links and the angle and distance to the coupler…

Several types of physics activities that use real-world problems to motivate learners, use computers to assist in developing conceptual understandings, connect problem situations to mathematical models, and use the models to analyze other real-world problems are presented. The topics of racing sports, sailing, and damped harmonic oscillations are…

The School of Education at the University of Exeter (England) is developing a curriculum project in which secondary school students learn history by using prepared computer programs, by using the computer as an electronic blackboard, and by doing their own programing. The Exeter project is described. (RM)

Ways in which students are allowed to choose, based on their curiosity at the moment, which way they will move through a lesson are described. Available software for interactive biology programs and available authoring software for developing interactive programs by teachers and students are listed. (KR)

Explores the concept of outcomes-based education using authentic assessment. Highlights implications for information literacy using the following electronic products: newspaper or magazine simulation, videotape production, computer-aided design (CAD), multimedia presentation, and Web page publication. Suggests ways to integrate assessment in the…

Presents a geography program to show students why the European Community was formed. Involves student research of economic data, creation of a computer database on the European Community, and simulation of trading. Emphasizes geographic themes of movement, region formation, and change in response to economic forces. Includes game rules, sample…