One higher education institution initiated a context based, situated learning environment to guide an introductory freshman engineering course that was designed to overcome many problems in traditional engineering education. Instructors used situated environment to facilitate: student acquisition of intellectual curiosity, appropriate framing and…

Outlines four stages of group development in the classroom (Inclusion and Membership, Establishing Shared Influence and Collaborative Decision Making, Pursuing Individual and Academic Goals, Self-Renewal: Adapting to Changes), exercises to facilitate each stage, and the teacher's role throughout. (LC)

High school physics offers opportunities to use problem solving and lab practices as well as cement skills in research, technical writing, and software applications. Describes and evaluates computer software enhancing the high school physics curriculum including spreadsheets for laboratory data, all-in-one simulators, projectile motion simulators,…

Maintains that a required course in public policy analysis can serve as a natural capstone experience for undergraduate curricula in public administration. By teaching analysis, rather than teaching about analysis, undergraduate programs can integrate other elements of the curriculum and prepare students to understand the policy process more…

Examines several important principles of writing (e.g., different approaches for different audiences) and applies these to economics and business education. Discusses approaches to teaching writing in this context. Includes a rhetorical case assignment, teaching tips, and discussion of students' reactions to this approach. (MJP)

Presents a strategically designed plan of moral education that was incorporated into a physical education curriculum. The plan enhanced the social skill development of elementary school students identified as at risk for dysfunctional behavior. The program helped improve communication skills and increase cooperation and sharing among students. (SM)

The director of the Public Library of Nashville & Davidson County (Tennessee) discusses the library's development since 1995. Highlights include Nashville's growth potential and political climate; improving the efficiency of internal operations; staff involvement in problem-solving (technology training and systemwide programming);…

In 1987, Toronto Board of Education mandated the development of standards, called "benchmarks," for students' achievement in mathematics and language at the end of grades 3, 6, 8, and 10. The development and testing of benchmarks stressing higher-order thinking, problem solving, and the use of experiential approaches and manipulative…

Discusses a partnership between Northern Arizona University and a local school district that enables preservice teachers to practice innovative strategies for facilitating inclusion of students with disabilities into general classrooms. Strategies such as cooperative learning, collaborative teaming, peer tutoring, student empowerment, and creative…

Examines various methods for assessing dental students' learning in a problem-based curriculum, including objective structured clinical examination; clinical proficiency testing; triple jump evaluation (identifying facts, developing hypotheses, establishing learning needs to further evaluate the problem, solving the learning needs, presenting…

A methodological framework for the delivery of knowledge, performance, and learning (KPL) systems is presented. The role of the KPL system is currently taken by learning management systems or learning and content management systems, and many of these systems facilitate the technical aspects of learning objects. However, they are still rooted in…

A software development collaboration project designed to maximize the skill sets and interests of school children and teachers, educational software technologists and researchers, and college undergraduates is presented. The work brings elementary school children with college seniors and technology consultants to implement a problem-solving…

Successful intervention for severely disruptive children is likely to require effort and collaboration among pediatric mental health specialists, parents, and school staff. Children with severe disruptive behavior disorders usually require follow-up with credentialed pediatric mental health specialists and may need special classrooms, schools, or…

This book presents 21 case studies of young children with disabilities in a variety of family situations and settings, for early interventionists to study in planning and applying recommended practices. Section I, "Defining and Delivering Quality Services in Early Intervention," provides two introductory chapters: "The Search for Quality…

A third-grade teacher and a teacher educator argue that, in an elementary mathematics class in which the teacher is encouraging the children to communicate and justify their mathematical ideas, the features of a mathematical task shape the mathematical discourse. They conjecture that divergent tasks, problems with many correct answers, may…