This dissertation addresses a critical gap in the literature by examining how the organizational environment shapes the understanding of instruction and practice for multilingual learners (ML) among general education (GE) elementary classroom teachers. Building on inhabited institutionalism theory, the study investigates the interrelationship of…

Educational practice does not, for the most part, rely on research findings. Instead, there's a preference for relying on our intuitions about what's best for learning. But relying on intuition may be a bad idea for teachers and learners alike. This accessible guide helps teachers to integrate effective, research-backed strategies for learning…

This book draws on applied linguistics and literary studies to offer concrete means of engaging with vernacular language and literature in secondary and college classrooms. The authors embrace a language-as-resource orientation, countering the popular narrative of vernaculars as problems in schools. The book is divided into two parts, with the…

Teaching English language learners has long presented challenges for teachers tasked with bringing these students to a level of language comprehension comparable to that of native speakers. These challenges and issues can lead to difficulty comprehending core academic topics for those learning the English language. "Optimizing Elementary…

Over the last three decades, many studies have been conducted to identify students' preconceptions on various science topics. It is time now for a synthetic study of preconceptions to enhance our understanding of students' everyday cognition and to benefit our effort in developing effective instructional inventions for conceptual change. Through a…

In this case study, we are able to take a close look at a situation not often encountered in the literature on ICTs in emerging economies: a private company from an emerging economy provided much-needed funding for a US NASA higher learning consortium through a contract for training and research and development in 3D visualization. This study…

In this article, the authors explore the question, "Does the Moon spin?", and show how the question is investigated. They emphasise the importance of the process by which people work out what they know, by "learning from the inside out." They stress that those involved in science education have to challenge current conceptions and ideas, making…

Significant instructional changes in mathematics will be achieved only if each educator involved with school mathematics engages in a personal rethinking of various aspects of mathematics instruction and identifies some concrete ways in which his or her current practice could be modified to reflect the results of such rethinking. This book is…

Suggests that the imposition of order on history perpetuates a historian/history teacher dichotomy. Illustrates prevailing fallacies in the teaching of history: (1) the moniker fallacy; (2) the one-school fallacy; (3) the contextual fallacy; and (4) the wave fallacy. States that an avoidance of these fallacies will at least partially reconcile…

Considers teaching strategies to help children overcome misconceptions and difficulties with the mathematical concept of angles. (ASK)

Though the field of physics is moving toward more realistic problems and the use of computers and mathematical modeling to promote insightful treatment of physical problems, artificial problems still appear in textbooks in the field of electrostatics. Discusses physical arguments why one of the most popular textbook applications of Coulomb's Law…

A discussion of what E=mc2 means and other issues associated with the equation are presented. The differences between matter, mass, and energy, a derivation of the equation, the history of the word mass and examples of how it is used, misconceptions surrounding the equation, and a discussion of uranium fission are included. (KR)

Discussed is an approach to learning in which students are given the opportunity to discuss and rationalize the conflict between the students' existing misconceptions and the phenomenon to be studied. Curriculum materials for a unit on acids and bases were developed using this strategy. (KR)

Identifies common misconceptions about polygons. Discusses current practices used to teach geometry to search for the source of misconceptions, and describes ways to help students avoid these misconceptions. (ASK)

Children's ideas about radiation and radioactivity are reviewed and several common areas of misunderstanding are identified. An approach to teaching the topic at the secondary school level which seeks to specifically address known difficulties is outlined. (CW)