The study drew on Bernstein's theory and Moscovici's theory of Social Representations to investigate how children in classrooms with different types of structuration developed social representation of the curriculum. Comparable case studies were carried out in schools chosen to reflect three types of pedagogy according to Bernstein's typology.…

The war in Iraq and the aftermath are receiving media attention around the globe. A plethora of media reports from many other countries is now available online in English. This article recommends possible approaches to developing comparative media studies and provides URLs to specific sources. The NCSS standards addressed by these lessons include:…

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the use of a diagnostic test to assess the preparedness of level one students for a sports biomechanics module. During their first week at university, a cohort of 108 students completed a diagnostic test at the end of their first lecture in sports biomechanics, with no prior notice. Upon…

This paper explores the role of systematic reviews of research literature and considers what they have to offer research in science education. The origins of systematic reviews are described, together with the reasons why they are currently attracting considerable attention in the research literature. An overview is presented of the key features…

Previous research has shown that children systematically alter the size and colour of their drawings in response to the emotional character of the figures which they draw. However, these findings have been demonstrated only with children receiving mainstream Western education. This experiment was designed to investigate whether children receiving…

The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) in England in September 1999 represented a very significant attempt to change the way mathematics was taught in primary schools. In Wales, where the NNS does not apply, an alternative strategy required Local Education Authorities (LEAs), in consultation with their schools, to develop locally…

This paper will make a critical comparison between the stages of the Hero's Journey as presented by Christopher Vogler and the taxonomy of personal engagement as articulated by Educational Drama theorists. Both Vogler's journey and the taxonomy describe how a person travels from one world into another and back again, combining the two results in a…

This paper utilizes Toulmin's original framework to analyse over 400 answers given by 11-year-olds to a question on a written mathematics test. The question required children to say whether a given statement is true and give a written explanation. Categorizations of answers are developed from the data and examined, suggesting that many children…

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of live (SERT) and computer-based (iSTART) reading strategy training. Prior to and after training, participants read scientific texts and self-explained after each sentence. They also answered comprehension questions. Students showed improvement in the quality of their…

This study used structured analogue situations to examine factors that might influence teachers? preferences and opinions about language interventions. These factors included respondent groups (preschool vs. elementary school teachers), type of treatment approach (naturalistic vs. therapeutic), person delivering the intervention (classroom teacher…

Most research on personal epistemologies has conceived them as made up of relatively large, coherent, and stable cognitive structures, either developmental stages or beliefs (perhaps organized into theories). Recent work has challenged these views, arguing that personal epistemologies are better understood as made up of finer grained cognitive…

Lev Vygotsky (1986-1934) was an educational theorist and psychologist of extraordinarily wide knowledge whose major writings deal with the entire learning-teaching-development experience. Despite a wide-ranging interest in Vygotskian theory, the issue of imagination remains outside of the main line of general inquiries into his work. Thus, there…

We compared the effectiveness of a problem-solving and an external control intervention to teach social skills to five adults with mild intellectual disabilities. The social skills of ''responding to corrective feedback'' and ''managing conflict'' were targeted for intervention. Each participant received the problem-solving intervention with one…

Our aim in this paper was to provide an analysis of goal orientation parameters with respect to reading comprehension strategy use for students with and without reading difficulties (RD). Non-RD students appeared to be more mastery oriented and less performance avoidant compared to RD ones. Also, non-RD students used, more, deeper, more…

This note from the classroom explores teaching new or alternative religions within the context of a Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College. The essay will specifically focus on a section of a course entitled "Modern Religious Movements" in which students were asked to consider different methodological approaches to the teaching and study of…