Problem solving is one of the most essential aspects of human life. Every day, people engage in problem solving any time they attempt to resolve uncertain issues or questions. Of utmost importance, in order to resolve problems effectively, people must "build them" by interacting with situations. In other words, people must actively…

It is widely acknowledged that China is much wealthier than ever before. However, many have witnessed rising cases of moral disorders and the inefficiency of school-based moral education. As one of the most widely known theoretical frameworks in the social sciences, Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological systems theory of human development can provide an…

This article analyses how a group of teachers managed the resources available while performing computer-supported collaborative problem-solving tasks in the context of professional development. The authors video-recorded and analysed collaborative sessions during which the group of teachers used a digital environment to prepare a pedagogical…

The present study examined an international sample of adults from the Survey of Adult Skills administered by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009) to assess (1) how specific individual and country-level characteristics predict adult readiness to…

With science teachers facing comprehensive curriculum reform that will shape science education for decades to come, high school department chairs represent a critical resource for instructional leadership and teacher support. While the historical literature on the department chair indicates that chairs are in prime positions to provide…

Online and on-demand tests are increasingly used in assessment. Although the main focus has been cheating and test security (e.g., Selwyn, 2008) the cross-setting equivalence of scores as a function of contrasting test conditions is also an issue that warrants attention. In this study, the impact of environmental and cognitive distractions, as…

Electronic engineering industries require technical specialists to operate precision electronic instruments. However, limitations in course designs and equipment availability mean that only a few students are able to use the equipment in practical lessons within a limited timeframe. Also, instruction of techniques and skills are still mostly…

The aim of this paper is to examine how the University of Huddersfield embraced the ethos of community cohesion and made moves into a problematic community. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in Oldham in Greater Manchester the paper presents insights into how higher education is viewed in the area. The research reveals that higher…

The present qualitative study was conducted in response to federal initiatives aimed at increasing the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) schools in the United States; and to better understand STEM high school administrators', teachers', and students' perceptions of the characteristics of the curricular and…

The objective of the study is to explore the prevalence of reflective teaching practices among Turkish primary school teachers. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used together in the study. The sample was composed of 328 primary school teachers working in 30 primary education institutions in the town of Antakya in the province of…

This case study consisted of an examination of the perspectives of students, teachers, and administrators at the Shuangling Primary School, a rural Chinese school in Shaanxi Province, as they relate to themes of China's most recent curricular reform efforts. The intent was to understand these perspectives and determine how to best assist teachers…

Discusses the similarities in learning outcomes from two very different environments: a research group and a problem-solving course. Provides examples that characterize the two environments and that point to similarities in outcomes. Speculates about why such similarities exist. (DDR)

Socioemotional processes of learning interaction during classroom teaching and learning were analyzed. The learning interaction was organized according to the principles of a cognitive apprenticeship model (Collins, Brown, and Newman, 1989) and applied to the technologically rich learning environment. The purpose of the learning task was to…

The context of learning with computers is different from that of more traditional educational media because the computer is a new medium whose interactivity supports dynamic, evident, and malleable representations of abstract ideas. The model proposed addresses some mediating factors of the environment in which computers are used that affect…

Contrasts teacher-student interactions in typical teacher-fronted second language classrooms with the organization of talk across a variety of alternate educational participant structures--a teacher-student conference, small group work, the making of a class video, and a problem-solving interaction in a computer lab--that deviate from the…