Students' brains are wired to make them natural, curious learners. The mathematical world around them offers a vast classroom, filled with shapes, spaces, quantities, and experiences to discover and explore, all leading to the construction of understanding. Teachers can use this natural curiosity to tap the inborn neural mechanisms that motivate…

The issue of physical punishment is a particularly controversial one at the moment as child advocates are engaged in a struggle to persuade the New Zealand government to repeal a defence in law (section 59 of the 1961 "Crimes Act") which justifies parents hitting their children provided the force used is "reasonable in the…

International comparative studies revealed that US students' mathematics performance is not at the level of expectation of mathematics education community. The latest of such study is, Third international Mathematics Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R, 1999) continued show poor performance of US students in international arena. Total of 38 countries…

This paper advances a model for the use of parents in the implementation of cooperative learning strategies in the home, so that parents can join with teachers in providing a quality education for their children. The main principles of the model include teaching parents how to: (1) encourage their children by providing adequate opportunities for…

This curriculum guide provides lesson plans and student activities for instruction in reading, mathematics, and writing for adults in the printing graphic arts industry. It was developed through a federal education grant for a cooperative workplace literacy program involving Catonsville Community College in Baltimore, the printing industries of…

This document consists of the four issues of the newsletter "Workforce Skills" published during 1994. This newsletter contains a variety of articles about Colorado's Community College and Occupational Education System (CCOES) and about work force skills training developed and delivered by community colleges. Each newsletter includes some…

This paper describes a course at West Virginia University that teaches academic self-management to beginning university students who have learning disabilities or are otherwise at risk for academic failure. The course uses an integrated approach that emphasizes the development of college study skills, self-management skills, and academic…

Science/Technology/Society STS) has been defined as teaching and learning in the context of human experiences. The STS movement has grown out of dissatisfaction with the curriculum reform of the 1960s and utilizes a problem solving approach that appeals to students' interests. This paper describes the STS approach and reports research results…

This paper presents tips for educators to integrate and facilitate virtual learning teams within online courses. The techniques are grounded in current research and theoretical foundations of systems theory and group dynamics. Tips emphasize facilitation of virtual learning teams, assembled for the purpose of formal education and supported by…

The project attempted to improve the social problem solving skills of second to fifth grade children with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders, and to offer support to their parents and improve parenting self-confidence. Both the parent group (N=9) and the children's group (N=5) used the Rochester Social Problem Solving Skills…

This report discusses a project to develop, test, and disseminate the SNAP (Smart Needs Assessment Program) system for needs assessment and inservice training of regular educators to work with students with disabilities. The SNAP system is an expert system that defines the training needs of individual teachers and links these needs with training…

To determine if differing ability levels will affect the acquisition of problem-solving skills and self-esteem as a result of participation in two approaches to teaching problem-solving skills, a study was conducted with sixth graders in a posttest-only control group experimental design. Subjects were 102 sixth graders randomly assigned to 5…

This curriculum guide presents learning activities for use by facilitators in Parent Time sessions in the Family Literacy Program, a part of Kentucky's Parent and Child Educational Program (PACE). In Parent Time sessions, PACE instructors share information with parents, and parents practice family life skills. The learning activities used in the…

Implications of using authentic activity as a model for appropriate learning activity are discussed, particularly in regard to the design of computer-based simulations and project-based learning activities. Mere provision of computer-based simulations and reality-centered projects does not ensure that a student will derive the benefits of…

A new approach to teaching and curriculum takes seriously the knowledge children have when they enter school. Teachers use the knowledge each child has to make instructional decisions so that the child learns mathematics with understanding, how to solve problems, and the computational skills. Research concerning the problem-solving strategies…