Background/Context: Though the maker movement has proliferated in out-of-school settings, there remains a design challenge of how to effectively integrate maker activities into K--12 classrooms. In other contexts, though, creative design and production have historically been successfully integrated in classrooms through studio models common to the…

Assessments are powerful tools for informing teachers and students about where student thinking stands with relation to a learning goal. Yet, few studies provide qualitative analyses of assessment practice across a unit. This study uses a framework of nine dimensions of effective assessment practice in science classrooms to compare more and less…

Pedagogy of higher education is shifting from passive to active and deep learning. At the same time, the information technology (IT) industry and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) are demanding soft skills training. Thus, in designing an IT course, we devised group teaching projects where students learn to work with…

This paper explores the use of simulations in virtual reality to teach students the fundamental processes behind retailing and product development. The project described involved one class of students who developed their own clothing lines of "virtual merchandise." A second class of students then "purchased" the wholesale…

Infusing creative thinking competence through the design process of authentic projects requires not only changing the teaching methods and learning environment, but also adopting new assessment methods, such as portfolio assessment. The participants in this study were 128 high school pupils who have studied MECHATRONICS from 10th to 12th grades…

An integrated technical writing and design course has been developed at Rowan University. This course was developed using aspects of project-based learning and recent discussions about design education, as well as pedagogical approaches from the write-to-learn and the writing in the disciplines (WID) movements. The result is a course where the…

As educators, we have two missions. First, we must serve our students--they are both our customer and our product. Second, we aim to provide the market in general with graduates with relevant skills and knowledge for jobs that have not even been created yet. Given that most students graduating and moving into the workplace are not necessarily…

P.A.C.E.S. stands for Participation, Appearance, Cleanup, Engineering, and Safety. The author has traditionally used design briefs to set the limits on processes and materials to solve a given problem. The design brief brings out all kinds of "out of the box" thinking, with many correct answers to solve the problem. The P.A.C.E.S. rubric ties the…

The Association Supporting Computer Users in Education (ASCUE) is a group of people interested in small college computing issues. It is a blend of people from all over the country who use computers in their teaching, academic support, and administrative support functions. ASCUE has a strong tradition of bringing its members together to pool their…

An intensive statistics course, developed as part of the graduate degree program in public administration at the University of Southern California, meets for eight hours on eight consecutive Saturdays. Its salient features include a preparatory period, concentrated class activity, an application period and individual assessment. (JMD)

A class activity in which intermediate-level French second language students create their own comic books is outlined. Objectives, classroom presentation techniques, format, project duration, and evaluation criteria are specified. The project includes groups writing and editing and oral presentations. (MSE)

This unit seeks to teach Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in a way that the students will have a full understanding of the play. The unit's introduction is designed to get the students acquainted with Shakespeare's language, to motivate them to read the play, and to make them feel confident about approaching the play. Lessons in the unit are fun,…

Techniques for combining a communicative approach to second language teaching with assessment and use of Internet resources are presented. Emphasis is on beginning and intermediate language instruction. Two levels of student assessment projects designed for a unit on community and neighborhood are presented. The novice project involves exploration…

Describes a historical research project for students in secondary grades. Provides recommendations for evaluating student projects. Includes a student project guide and evaluation scale. (CFR)

Describes a secondary U.S. history course in which students study the impact of industrialization on U.S. culture and society. Asserts that assignments in which students create political cartoons, poetry, posters or other visual products enhance student interest and provide diverse evaluation strategies. (CFR)