Discusses a proposed introductory physics program on the middle school level, including the use of experiments, abstract versus concrete concepts, and prerequisites. (MLH)

The relationship between high school size and student learning was studied using three waves of data from the National Education Longitudinal Study with hierarchical linear modeling to examine achievement growth in reading and mathematics. Results suggest that the ideal high school enrolls between 600 and 900 students. Exceptions are discussed.…

Archaeology and cultural anthropology show that humans developed many discrete skills (social, technological, natural history, and language intelligence) over the past million years, but only recently have combined these into "broad" intelligence. Understanding learning is a key issue. Metacognition, the ability to consider one's…

Studied the strengths and weaknesses of the Perceptions of Learning Environments Questionnaire (PLEG; Queensland University of Technology, 1993). Findings for 100 Australian undergraduates show that a modified version of the PLEG builds on the advances and addresses the limitations of the original. (SLD)

Two studies investigated the conditions under which adults with different academic backgrounds use linear graphs as reasoning tools that can be transferred from one economic content area to another. The 2 studies, involving a total of 281 university and vocational students, confirm that active graphical representation can be a powerful transfer…

Presents insights gained by studying media use in existing distributed research communities. Describes the "Virtual Mobility and Distributed Laboratories" research project and three naturalistic case studies, highlights the concepts of activity theory and media-richness theory and suggests an integration of the two, and addresses the applicability…

Presents a personal view of early childhood education in the United Kingdom. Describes the historical influences on early childhood education curriculum, using actual situations, and offers a gradualist vision for the future of early childhood programs. Discusses the Effective Learning Project and the Quality in Diversity Project. (AS)

Although context is a potent force in learning, instructional design models contain little guidance in accommodating contextual elements to improve learning and transfer. Defines context, outlines levels and types, specifies contextual factors within the types, suggests methods for conducting contextual analysis for instructional design, and…

An interview study was carried out with 43 Hong Kong high school students to explore the dimensionality of learning and to study the relationship between memorization and understanding as experienced by Chinese learners. Describes different ways of experiencing learning among these students in a two-dimensional outcome space. (SLD)

Combines the concept of self-worth in sociology and educational psychology with economic modeling to analyze the influence of competition on student learning. Finds, for example, that students prone to negative self-worth are motivated not to study hard in courses involving strong competition, thereby adopting a strategy of winning by not losing.…

Comments on new ideas being charted by new scientists and new science educators. Discusses two directions and examines who the scientists working in science education and the science educators are. Describes the disciplines, scholars, and scientists studying the structures and processes of knowledge growth and development in individuals and among…

Interviewed 53 secondary school teachers about their subjective interpretations and the ways they implement "learning to learn." As was consistent with previous research, two groups of teachers were identified: those who have a broad vision about learning to learn and those who have a narrow vision. Describes characteristics of both groups. (SLD)

Introduces the concept of synergy and synergy research conducted in the context of a water quality project and CILT2000, a meeting of the Center for Innovative Learning Technologies (CILT). Shares ways in which synergy research addresses methodological questions, promotes collaborative partnerships, and contributes to equity. (Contains 16…

Examines papers published in the journal, "Teaching Sociology," from 1984-1999 to depict an emergence of a scholarship on teaching and learning. Builds on the work of Paul Baker who thought that evidence of scholarship was lacking in the journal from 1973-1983. Suggests that a scholarship is emerging. (CMK)