Argument mapping (AM) is the activity of plotting a diagram representing the logical connections between evidence and the claims it supports, with boxes connected by lines. AM can massively benefit students and their communities. Not only is it about twice as effective at improving student critical thinking any other method and enhance student…

Two groups of EFL freshman students participated in the study. Pre-test scores showed no significant differences in their oral proficiency level. Both groups were then exposed to the same in-class instruction that depended on the textbook. They covered the same lessons, skills, exercises and tests. Since freshman students have no opportunities to…

Graphing is a common and powerful symbol system for representing concrete data. Yet research has shown that students often have graphical misconceptions about how graphs are related to the concrete event. Currently, the Technical Education Research Center (TERC) is developing microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL) science units that use probes to…

A promising new development in science education is the use of microcomputer-based laboratory tools that allow for student-directed data acquisition, display, and analysis. Microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL) make use of inexpensive microcomputer-connected probes to measure such physical quantities as temperature, position, and various…

Microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL), the use of microcomputers for student-directed data acquisition and analysis, represents a promising new development in science laboratory instruction. This descriptive study determined the impact of MBLs on middle school students' understanding of graphs of distance and velocity. The study was based on the…

This paper is a report of a project that was undertaken to produce a self-teaching manual for students wishing to acquire technical skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Such skills are required in the analysis of locational data such as those found in aerial photographs, satellite images and digital maps. The self-teaching manual…

In a project designed to provide training for entry-level job skills in high tech industries, a combination of narrative and technology was employed to aid learners in developing the necessary soft skills (dependability, responsibility, listening comprehension, collaboration, et cetera) sought by employers. The EnterTech Project brought together a…

A study investigated the relative effects of using computers and writing by hand on secondary students' quality or quantity of writing, and on their attitudes toward writing. Subjects were 40 eighth-grade students in an Anglo-Chinese school in Hong Kong, with some experience in writing brief compositions. The word processing program used was…

The purpose of this media study sought to determine whether similar patterns are found (1) when interviewing a larger number of participants and (2) when focusing on a specific content area. Thirty-eight undergraduate students enrolled in an undergraduate computer education class in a large Midwestern university volunteered to participate in…

The article discusses two interrelated aspects of computer education: the computer's potential for developing cognitive skills and ways in which the differential participation of males and females in computer experiences may lead to inequitable outcomes. The Assessing the Cognitive Consequences of Computer Environments for Learning Project…

Decision makers have always relied on a mixture of qualitative and quantitative information. Recently, two technological tools--spreadsheets and the Internet--have dramatically altered how decision makers analyze quantitative information, thus necessitating curriculum changes in programs to prepare students to use these tools effectively. Harvard…