Education plays a central role in preparing young people to engage thoughtfully in civic and community issues and to wrestle with complex dilemmas in the public domain. As a democracy, our system of governance offers multiple pathways through which people living in the country can influence how civic issues and dilemmas are addressed.…

Studies show our emotional system is a complex, widely distributed, and error-prone system that defines our basic personality early in life and is quite resistant to change. This article describes our emotional system's major parts (the peptides that carry emotional information and the body and brain structures that activate and regulate emotions)…

Explores the meaning of understanding and the importance of teaching for understanding. Typical classrooms do not give sufficient presence to thoughtful engagement in understanding performance. How to teach for learning is reviewed, focusing on both teaching and assessment. The need for generative knowledge is discussed. (SLD)

This article considers the synergistic force, specifically imagination, which can serve as the catalyst for motivation and learning. The importance of classroom climate in fostering imagination and developing growth, discovery, and vision is emphasized. Ways to make imagination an important element of classroom climate are listed. (JDD)

This chapter examines the scope of the mathematical content educators expect students to understand after they have participated in mathematics courses. It is organized under four headings: (1) Traditional School Mathematics, to clarify what the shift is away from; (2) Mathematics as Human Activity, to portray the direction the shift is toward;…

Educators throughout the northwest are striving to ensure that all students have opportunities to learn rigorous mathematics and science. State standards that define high quality, challenging, mathematics and science education programs for all students are in place. The science and mathematics education community is engaged in the task of…

This speech addresses the impact of schools on teaching and learning, and explains the need to evaluate the following three influences of physical school settings: health and safety factors; ambient environmental factors; and curriculum-based environmental factors. Also addressed are the influences of school and classroom size, and the need for…

Reviews five books on instructional improvement: "The Effective Classroom" (Bert Creemers); "Universal Teaching Strategies" (H.J. Freiberg); "Changing Teachers, Changing Times" (A. Hargreaves); "Horace's Hope" (Theodore Sizer); and "Education for All" (Robert Slavin). Each book stresses the…

Examines how school design facilitates learning by complementing how the brain learns. How the brain learns is discussed and how an artistic environment, spaciousness in the learning areas, color and lighting, and optimal thermal and acoustical environments aid student learning. School design suggestions conclude the article. (GR)

This book synthesizes the implications of research done by the National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences (NCRMS) by integrating two bodies of research: the study of teaching and the study of learning mathematics. This research was organized around content domains and/or continuing issues in education such as equity and assessment of…

This chapter builds on the idea that classrooms that promote understanding can and do exist. Elaborating upon this idea the question is raised, "In what ways can many more classrooms be developed so that all students have the opportunity to learn with understanding?" The construction of classrooms that promote understanding is dependent upon…

Discusses research issues deriving from different interpretations and responses to cultural conflicts in mathematics education and presents a possible research agenda. (25 references) (MKR)

Describes educational benefits of providing teachers with wireless telephones. (PKP)

Outlines a framework for analyzing research and development trends in classroom management and school effectiveness in terms of (1) learners and learning, (2) teacher education, (3) educational programs, (4) classroom management, (5) school effectiveness, (6) a network of schools, and (7) school systems. Eleven sources are appended. (EJS)

Recommends that teachers use a curriculum development project (the World Studies Project) to help students increase their understanding of global affairs such as human rights, economic order, disarmament, the world environment, and the law of the sea. Activities and objectives of the project are presented and ordering information for additional…