Paying attention during academic instruction plays a significant role in learning. Students with off-task behaviors are less likely to obtain desired learning outcomes. Technology-based self-monitoring is one of the strategies designed to address this issue. This article introduces technology-based self-monitoring (TBSM) for elementary educators…

To increase the efficiency (and effectiveness) of feedback, you must address four key components of the online teaching experience: 1) Course Design--Integrate course components that provide automated feedback in response to individual student submissions. 2) Instructional Resources and Activities--Create resources and activities to decrease the…

This paper describes eight principles that can be used to promote cooperative interactions among students working in online environments. The principles derive from a well-established approach to education, known variously as cooperative learning and collaborative learning. Each principle is explained as to what it means, why it is important and…

This article reports on the decline in writing ability skills in secondary and higher education students. The author discusses changes that have affected student writing skills over the recent decades and offers recommendations for improving these skills, such as: implementing intensive freshman writing courses; adjusting existing course…

The paper explores important issues in today's education, not by analyses and statistics, but by projecting readers into the future and then asking them to look back on today's schools and to act like archaeologists--to surmise from all sorts of things they can observe, what was really important to us, what we really valued, how we treated kids,…

Despite their flaws as teaching and learning environments, large lectures remain a standard teaching approach because of their relatively low cost, ease of preparation, and long tradition in education. Research shows that active inquiry yields positive results in learning outcomes, and one way to make the large lecture class more active and…

Many professors who have ventured into online education are finding that shorter, modular clips are a more successful teaching approach than traditional 50-minute lectures. The author cites educators from several institutions who have adapted smaller, 15-20 minute instructional units originally developed for online courses, to their face-to-face…

The iPod's almost overwhelming popularity probably stems from the combination of power, size, convenience, and flexibility inherent in the devices. They fit into arm bands during jogging, ride in jean pockets, and swing from belt loops. They are small enough to easily be tucked into purses and backpacks, even large pockets. Clearly, using and…

Traces the origin of the Carnegie Unit (that measures seat time in the classroom) and its application to educational equivalency, suggests that technology has changed equivalency, proposes Capabilities-Based Educational Equivalency Units as an alternative, and illustrates its use in a graduate program at a university that offers distance education…

Analyzing real motion with frame-by-frame precision can be conducted using modestly priced digital-video camcorders. Although well below the 1,000 frames-per-second threshold of high-speed cameras, commercially available camcorders grab 30 frames per second. A replay dissected at this lower frequency is fun to watch, challenges students'…

"Education Matters" is the monthly newsletter of the Association of American Educators (AAE), an organization dedicated to advancing the American teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection. This issue of the newsletter includes: (1) Are They Ready? National Study Reveals Civics…