The purpose of this study was to examine the culture of an American middle school music technology classroom based in musical composition. Research questions explored students' perceptions of how they co-create the classroom culture with the teacher and how the classroom culture influences participation in musical composition activities, if at…

This article describes a study that attempted to evaluate the integration of wikis as an educational tool in successfully achieving the learning objectives of a fifth-grade linguistics and literature course. A mixed-method approach was employed--data were collected via questionnaires, reflective journals, observations, and interviews. The results…

This paper deploys notions of emergence, connections, and designs for learning to conceptualize high school students' interactions when using online social media as a learning environment. It makes links to chaos and complexity theories and to fractal patterns as it reports on a part of the first author's action research study, conducted while she…

Article considers the teachers' views of the ideal science pupil and factors which lead to success in work and examinations. (Author)

Explores the theoretical underpinnings relating to self-regulated learning and considers how classrooms can be structured as self-regulated learning environments. Topics include assumptions about learners and learning processes; design principles; and components of self-regulated learning environments, including learners, teachers, learning tasks…

Experiential educators claim to value student-centered learning, yet the values, as evidenced in practice, are often teacher-centered. The purpose of this article was to increase awareness of the inconsistencies between espoused values, and values in practice, effecting teacher and student power relationships during the facilitation of…

Explores possible outcomes of using the "Professional Teaching Standards" as a set of tools to construct productive conversations about teaching. Presents a discussion taking place in the author's third grade classroom illustrating discourse in the classroom, accompanied by the author's commentary on the lesson. (MDH)

In most public schools today, where teachers must function as dispensers of knowledge and judges of correctness while students must function as listeners, repeaters, and memorizers, the learning process is passive. Such a passive learning process is an exhausting, burdernsome, role for the teacher and is draining on students, for it requires them…

Classroom communication in the second-language class is examined from an ethnographic perspective, highlighting the role of students in helping each other learn. Turn-taking, patterns of addressing teacher and peers, and different kinds of interaction that promote learning: cooperative; didactic; competitive; theatrical; personalized. (MSE)

Recent innovations in technology allow foreign language learners and their instructors to interact both inside and beyond the classroom using a variety of communicative tools. As a consequence, the classroom has been transformed into an extended learning environment which has had a profound effect on both student and teacher roles. However, the…

The Adaptive Dimension refers to the concept of making adjustments in approved educational programs to accommodate diversity in student learning needs, and to practices undertaken to make the approved core curriculum, instruction, and the learning environment meaningful and appropriate for each student. Adaptation takes into account the shift away…

Ten principles based on the interactive nature of language learning and teaching include the following: (1) the student is the language learner; (2) language learning and teaching are shaped by student needs and objectives in particular circumstances; (3) language learning and teaching are based on normal uses of language, with communication of…

The many dimensions of individual differences that make each learner a challenge to the foreign language teacher are discussed. The teacher must interpret the information and provide differentiated environments to "match" these differences. Emphasis is placed upon learning styles and learning strategies. An historical perspective of adapting…

To investigate teaching practices for English as a foreign/second language (EFL) at the university level in Brazil, three researchers analyzed the research presented at the 1990 Brazilian National Conference of EFL University Teachers (ENPULI Conference). Focus of the analysis was on the main objective of the study and the emphasis placed on…