Peer reviewing of teaching and curriculum in Higher Education is a common practice aimed at both quality assurance and professional development. External review of curriculum prior to implementation appears less common. The aim of this project was to develop, implement and evaluate a user-friendly process for external peer preview of teaching…

This article presents an overview of interest research and describes the theoretical and methodological background for the assessment of interest in science in large-scale assessments like the "Programme for International Student Assessment" (PISA). The paper starts with a short retrospective on the history of interest, bringing out theoretical…

The children's taunt "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers" gives new credence to the information search process at the elementary school level. Children keep what they find, claim it as their own, and accept information without discernment or critique. This study examines the effectiveness of teaching information literacy skills through…

Federal educational policy, "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001", focused attention on America's education with conspicuous results. One aspect, "highly qualified classroom teacher" and "principal" (HQ), was taxing since states established individual accountability structures. The HQ impact and use of data-informed…

Computer science education should not be based on short-term developments but on content that is observable in multiple domains of computer science, may be taught at every intellectual level, will be relevant in the longer term, and is related to everyday language and/or thinking. Recently, a catalogue of "central concepts" for computer…

Social workers are looking for workable yet exact methods to evaluate practice. A continuum of workable practice evaluation methods is drawn, and rudimentary ideographic designs are described and proposed for inclusion in social work education to stimulate research interest, perspective, and skill. (MSE)

THE DEBILITATING EFFECTS OF POVERTY AND CULTURAL DEPRIVATION CAN BE ALLEVIATED THROUGH EDUCATION. INCREASE OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS THROUGH CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT AND REORIENTATION IS SOUGHT. SUGGESTED PRIORITIES ARE--USE AND EVALUATION OF NEW METHODS AND MATERIALS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE, COORDINATION WITH AND ASSISTANCE TO OTHER ACTION PROGRAMS, AND…

TO HELP THE GIFTED AND ACADEMICALLY ABLE STUDENTS, WEST VIRGINIA DEVELOPED A 5-YEAR STATE PLAN. ITS RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED ORGANIZING PANELS TO STIMULATE, DEMONSTRATE, AND LEAD DISCUSSIONS IN LOCAL SCHOOLS, HAVING COUNTRY-WIDE WORKSHOPS AND DEVELOPING EXAMPLE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. THE SELECTED STUDENTS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO…

In a study which validated tasks performed by retail floral workers, data obtained using questionnaires and interview instruments were compared. The personal interview method proved to be more useful in identifying and classifying task information from the world of work. (SK)

Mixed methods research conducted across three semesters in introductory college geology classes (n=187, 190, 138) attempted to ascertain whether integrated study of petrified wood could serve as a portal to improved student geobiological understanding of fossilization, geologic time, and evolution. The Petrified Wood Survey[TM] was administered as…

"Curriculum alignment projects, towards developing a need to know", presents an approach to curriculum design that could be considered truly constructive in its format. Successful completion of the project requires students to synthesize a number of concepts that make up the block's learning objectives.

Studies behaviors that characterize effective curriculum consultants. Focuses on strategies reported by six experienced and six inexperienced consultants. Data organized into consultation model: initiation, planning, delivery, followup. Overt strategies, not the crude quantitative data (such as time spent), make significant differences. Work…

Available models apparently do influence childrens' behavior. Because of this, it is important for teachers to consider the philosophical, psychological, and sociological ramifications of their teaching behavior and their organization of the curriculum and learning environment. Teaching behavior hinges closely on the learning environment. In this…

In the first part of the paper, the author discusses his observation that teachers perceive any form of theorizing in schools to be intellectually dependent on educational researchers. Teachers assume that their access to educational theories depends on a group external to themselves and that theory has little practical value in the classroom. In…

Describes an experiment with a special section of a terminal" physics survey. The experiment consisted of systematically removing as much structure as feasible while using a lecture format. Evaluation indicates student enthusiasm and performance increase as structure disappears. (Author/TS)