The research in this "Learning by Doing" study focuses on a special type of doing that applies to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In the early stages of humankind, the act of doing was essential for survival and drove the evolution of technology. As was true in ancient times, knowledge and the ability…

As we strive to provide quality and sustainable online learning experiences, we must frame instructional design decisions around learners' current needs and interaction with technology. This article explores the implications of technology transience on instructional design. We provide numerous examples of programs assuming a purposeful approach to…

What is on the five-year horizon for K-12 schools worldwide? Which trends and technologies will drive educational change? What are the challenges that we consider as solvable or difficult to overcome, and how can we strategize effective solutions? These questions and similar inquiries regarding technology adoption and transforming teaching and…

Although logotherapy has been generally seen as a therapeutic technique, its usefulness in other areas cannot be underestimated. This paper examines museum education from a theoretical "logos" perspective and from a practical application of effective museum utilization for students. While museums will never replace schools in the formal…

The brain's architecture serves as the basic model for theorizing about how the brain works. Current brain research confirms earlier suspicions that thoughtfulness has a great deal more complexity than the simplistic left/right distinctions of earlier research. This paper draws on the work of Carl Jung to propose the brain-psyche model as an…

In this book, it is argued that the so-called crisis in education is really a crisis in childhood and that the unit of change is not the school but rather the larger community. Schools inherited from the industrial age are structured to develop a mass of students who, at best, are equipped with basic skills and the ability to follow orders. The…

Uses the metaphor of the experiential educator as midwife to illustrate the importance of creating a safe and nurturing educational environment. To accomplish this, teachers must manage logistics, guard the initial learning environment, serve as nurturer, establish relationships, acknowledge commonalities and differences, remain a learner, create…

This essay is an examination of the efficacy of group methods in the facilitation of learning. It describes and characterizes two learning experiences and reports the findings on some unconventional educational methods. It provides a summary of six principles of learning and reviews some essential literature which compares a variety of teaching…

Professional development is the cornerstone of school transformation. The first part of this two-part paper describes the professional development experiences of several hundred teachers and administrators in schools implementing New American Schools (NAS) designs and discusses the links between these professional development experiences and key…

Essential features of an outdoor integrated curriculum include experiential learning, whole process, authenticity, challenge, responsibility, and connection with the community. Additional factors that result only from outdoor learning include inescapable consequences, personal growth, and sense of wonder. Problems of curriculum integration include…

This packet contains seven research briefs in the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's (NWREL's) "School Improvement Research Series" for 1995-96. Topical Synthesis #8, "Community-Based Learning: A Foundation for Meaningful Educational Reform" (Thomas R. Owens and Changhua Wang) summarizes lessons that NREL has learned over the past 20…

This study reflects on children's voices when they are motivated, engaged, and learning in school. It consists of hearing what they have to say about what works for them and their positive school experiences rather than those told by adults. Adults who make policy are missing important information about the student curriculum they write. They are…

This paper posits that metaphor, in addition to embellishing language, promotes a comprehensive understanding of complex concepts and phenomena and provides teachers with a powerful way to talk about their work. The main body of this document, which includes an extensive review of the literature, considers the use of metaphors for mentoring in the…

This evaluation summary is a synopsis of information on the school year (SY) 1987-1988 Learning Center program in Hawaii contained in 20 different evaluation reports, one on each Learning Center. Each Learning Center served elementary, intermediate, or high school students, and the program of each was designed to equalize educational opportunities…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program for improving student transfer of knowledge to real life experiences. The targeted population consisted of second, sixth, and tenth grade students in a Midwestern community located outside of a major city. Evidence suggested a need for this program as documented by teacher generated…