Anna Aiken and her history colleagues had been reflecting on the stubborn problem of students failing to tackle GCSE questions about sources with adequate thought or understanding of evidence. Teaching them the typical requirements of the GCSE examination even appeared to make things worse, encouraging superficiality and failing to bring about…

In this article, we give two examples of creating portable chalkboards using chalkboard paint for students to use during cooperative learning. This provides a creative method for professors to facilitate active learning in the undergraduate mathematics classroom.

The conversation starts quickly as two students come together in a 10th grade social studies classroom, half-way through a role play activity a symposium begins. Both students are sporting "Hello, my name is…" stickers on their shirts, and each attempts to speak in character. One represents an anti-whaling activist. Helen stands holding…

Printers capable of producing three-dimensional objects are becoming more common. Most of these printers are impractical for use in the chemistry classroom because of the expense incurred in fabricating a print head that must be controlled in three dimensions. We propose a simpler solution to this problem that allows the emerging technology of…

An effective piece of documentation, such as evidence or an artifact, tells the story and the purpose of an event, experience, or development. In this comprehensive discussion of documentation, the author describes effective formats, discusses audience and purposes, and choosing a focus. She walks readers through the how and why, and in sidebars…

Discusses two questions any language-teaching approach has to consider: (1) the component of a language on which to focus; and (2) how the linguistic material can be acquired more efficiently than in the past. Five principles for efficient acquisition of 5,000 vocabulary words are outlined, and the RALEX approach is explained. (SED)

A series of videotapes designed for French classroom use are described, and the principles used in the development of these videotapes are outlined. Examples are provided of videotape topics, and instructional strategies are given from the tapes' texts. (MSE)

In this paper we develop materials to address student interest in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. We discuss the physical characteristics of tsunamis and some of the specific data regarding the 2004 event. Finally, we create an easy-to-make tsunami tank to run simulations in the classroom. The simulations exhibit three dramatic…

This report provides a summary description of the Title IV-C Classroom Management Project conducted in the Cleveland (Ohio) Public Schools. The purpose of this project was to develop and pilot test a resource handbook designed to improve elementary and secondary school teachers' ability to organize and manage their classrooms. The development of…

Reports on introduction of microfiches to replace conventional pre-prepared paper handouts for solutions to exercises in a first-year engineering mathematics course at Nottingham University, England. Disadvantages of using pre-prepared paper handouts, details of material layout on microfiches, material arrangement on microfiche frames, and general…

A three-phase procedure for developing instructional units, which when used with professional development can enhance teachers' understanding and implementation of Canada's National Core French Study multidimensional curriculum, is described. The procedure includes reflection, production, and piloting phases. (Author/MSE)

Social bilinguals (second language learners in a linguistic minority) and cultural bilinguals (foreign language learners) often learn side by side in the same classroom, making syllabus planning and choice of teaching methodology difficult. Adopting a bilingual approach and exploring the semantic and discourse aspects of language can overcome the…

Describes a two-semester computer science course, outlining course objectives and discussing classroom management techniques, software used, and courseware developed. Also includes table of contents for student manuals, and comments indicating that the course is meeting its objectives. (JN)

A project developed an inservice brochure and a summary booklet that defined the conditions that affect academically disadvantaged vocational students in an effort to increase vocational educators' awareness of what it is like to be an academically disadvantaged student. The publications also identify how these students learn and illustrate the…

The instructional development (ID) process is a teaching method that can be applied to an entire course, unit, or subject. The ID process can be compared to the decision making stages in purchasing and designing a house. These stages involve such concepts as communication theory, audience analysis, and study of goals and objectives. The choice of…