Peer learning allows a positive use of differences between pupils, turning them into learning opportunities. Yet education professionals often remain unfamiliar with the principles necessary to guarantee its effectiveness. The aim of this book is to help practitioners establish well-structured and effective peer learning projects using a variety…

The driving question for this brief is based on the most common question that teachers, principals, school leaders, coaches, and grant writers ask the Buck Institute for Education (BIE) about Project Based Learning (PBL): What evidence exists that shows the impact of Project Based Learning on student learning in core content areas? Research shows…

This guide is a revised and updated edition of "Making It Count." This version contains much of the information from the earlier publication but also includes strategies for using project-based learning and Web-based instructional programs to support the development of mathematics proficiency for youth in short-term juvenile correctional…

The ability to effectively communicate with individuals from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds is an invaluable asset. Learning a second language proves useful as students navigate the culturally diverse world; however, studying a second language can be difficult for learners who are not immersed in the real and natural environment of…

"Children as Researchers in Primary Schools" is an innovative and unique resource for practitioners supporting children to become "real world" researchers in the primary classroom. It will supply you with the skills and ideas you need to implement a "children as researchers" framework in your school that can be adapted for different ages and…

Results of a survey of teachers in 60 English primary schools indicated that positive strategies to use with gifted students working on projects include setting open-ended tasks, encouraging use of imagination, praising lateral thinking, requiring the construction of hypotheses, and encouraging distinctive approaches to tasks. (DB)

Provides exercises for the sampling and analysis of suspended solids in streams. Advantages are that a number of homemade devices can be used and their construction can involve students at a practical level. The exercises lead to a greater understanding of the natural system. (Author/KC)

Suggests methods for teaching research skills at the university level. A variety of ways exist to add creativity and student centered activities to the curriculum. Students may have choices in their input data or in defining the problem then using a constrained method of analysis. (Author/KC)

Service-learning--community service tied to academic learning--has become a common instructional strategy in schools across the country. Senior and culminating projects-- multidimensional projects through which graduating high school seniors demonstrate their accumulated knowledge and skills--are becoming increasingly common as well. This paper…

Discusses a student project for psychology courses in which students collect newspaper clippings that illustrate psychological concepts. Explains that the students record the source and write a brief description of the clipping, explaining how it relates to a psychological concept or theory. Includes results of student evaluations of the…

Describes a class project designed to bridge the learning gap between June and September by creating a bag full of summer learning activities. (SB)

Discusses how an act assignment exposes students to federal agencies; experts and novices contribute and learn in PR case course; students control in-class PR agency; cabletext service shows good results; advertising focus emphasizes creative writer; writing by number aids story structure; student photo club sells lab supplies, for revenue; and…

Describes a psychology course in which magical illusions were used for teaching the principles of sensation and perception. Students read psychological, philosophical, historical, and magical literature on illusion, performed a magical illusion, and analyzed the illusion in terms of the psychological principles involved. (Author/KC)

The author describes the screenprinting project he uses to begin his high school Printmaking I class and gives detailed instructions, with materials lists and diagrams, for the multicolor screenprinting process. This is one of several articles in this issue on graphic arts projects. (SJL)

Points out that evaluating group projects in media courses is an important concern. Recommends three steps: developing criteria such as objectivity, feasibility, creativity, and measurability; having each group evaluate the participation of the members; and having the class evaluate each presentation. Includes forms to facilitate carrying out…