Much of the science education community has advocated for a new vision of instruction emphasizing inquiry-based teaching (National Research Council, 1996). Unfortunately, as Anderson (2002) notes, many science teachers are not adopting inquiry-based teaching practices for a variety of reasons such as that teachers commonly favor text-book…

This paper presents the results of a collaborative project between the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney, Australia, and the School of Education at Can Tho University, Vietnam. The project aimed to develop a model for the professional development of teacher educators in the context of educational innovations in…

Students are increasingly expected to be able to think critically, solve complex problems, and communicate clearly. Educators are expected to facilitate that learning in a variety of situations for an increasingly individualized student population. Therefore, educators who attempt to change their practices must become active learners. A school…

Generally speaking, reading is not taught beyond the third grade in most school systems. If a student has not mastered reading comprehension skills by the fourth grade, chances are that she/he will struggle with learning in grades four through twelve. Many middle school and high school students lack the ability to use communication skills…

Faculty and students face new challenges and questions regarding their roles in the emerging learning paradigm brought on by educational technology. This paper discusses six shifts from traditional educational institutions to a learner-centered university. Changes and developments include: (1) the teacher: from instructional deliverer to learning…

This study examined how middle science teachers perceive the textbooks they use and how their perceptions varied with their personal attributes and professional backgrounds. A questionnaire was sent to 79 middle school science teachers in Missouri, and 66 responded. The questionnaire was designed to determine the teachers' perceptions about the…

A collaborative project of Bank Street College and the Newark Public Schools, the New Beginnings initiative was designed to bring about progressive restructuring of kindergarten classrooms. This study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the impact of the initiative on curriculum, professional development, and…