Organic chemistry is often considered to be a difficult subject to teach and to learn, particularly as students prefer to resort to memorization alone rather than reasoning using models from chemical reactivity. Existing studies have led us to suggest principles for redefining the curriculum, ranging from its overall structure to the tasks given…

In March 2012, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) released for public consultation the Shape Paper for the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (HPE) that was finalized for publication in August 2012. This paper set out the key propositions for a "futures-oriented" curriculum suggesting…

Cross-curricular work in schools across the United Kingdom generally involves the use of a cross-curricular dimension or theme that spans the work of several subject teachers. The limitations of this type of curriculum planning have been noted in the research literature both within the United Kingdom and across Europe. The research reported here…

This study sought to determine if an online course designed and delivered in Second Life can meet the needs of higher education students with dyslexia. The course design incorporated strategies from Gagne' and Briggs' principles of instruction, Gagnon and Collay's constructivist learning design, Powell's key learning needs of…

Late and limited organisational differentiation is a characteristic which has, until now, distinguished the structure of education -- including teacher education - in the Nordic countries from that of the rest of Europe. However, this tradition is now challenged by utilitarian ideologies, supported by international comparison tests such as PISA…

Critiquing and adapting curriculum materials are essential teaching practices but challenging for many preservice teachers. This study explores the use of educative curriculum materials--materials intended to support both teacher and student learning--to help preservice elementary teachers develop their pedagogical design capacity for critiquing…

Based on a review of instructional design models, previous papers identified first principles of instruction. These principles prescribe a cycle of instruction consisting of activation, demonstration, application, and integration. These instructional phases are best implemented in the context of real-world tasks. A Pebble-in-the-Pond approach to…

Five steps designed to take anxiety out of statistics for social work students are outlined. First, statistics anxiety is identified as an educational problem. Second, instructional objectives and procedures to achieve them are presented and methods and tools for evaluating the course are explored. Strategies for, and obstacles to, making…

Turning Points is a New American Schools design for comprehensive middle school reform coordinated by the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) in Boston Massachusetts. It focuses on creating a professional collaborative culture and using data-based inquiry to improve teaching and learning for all students. Turning Points seeks to create…

The educational needs of middle school students are truly unique. In no other period of PreK-12 education can one find such a wide range of physical, social, and cognitive development among students. For students, the middle school years can be a time of both great vulnerability and great responsiveness to change. These years are highly formative…

Environmental Education (EE) is described as a process of moving individuals toward stewardship and ultimately a union view of the relationship of people with nature. This document presents a general tenet of EE and explores some prevalent precepts that can be a guide to fully incorporating EE into all teaching settings. The percepts are explored…

The primary purpose of the 2004 Mississippi Business and Technology Framework is to promote business and economic literacy, both successful domestic and international functioning, diverse practice of interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership skills, technology as a tool for managing information, and lifelong learning skills that foster flexible…

Utilizes New York state's development and attempted implementation of multicultural education as a case study providing a concise yet thorough examination of the principles, objectives, and controversies surrounding this issue. Delineates the people and organizations involved in grass roots organizing and media representation on both sides of the…

This bulletin is written to help answer questions on the rural school's part in good living, to be of use to teachers, parents, and supervisors in discussion groups or in individual planning. It points out that rural communities, from poor to average to well-to-do, are making new demands on education. It shows scenes from schools that are meeting…