Presents middle school-level interdisciplinary activities for exploring medieval life. Students conduct research then create their own castles, design personal coats of arms, learn about jousting, go through a typical castle dweller's day, learn about carousels, discuss castle life from Mark Twain's perspective, and attend a medieval feast. (SM)

Highlights the body of available service-learning knowledge in the United States as found via a literature review of the National Clearinghouse for Service-Learning. The authors show that, while urban, suburban, and rural programs are often similar, urban programs focus more on disadvantaged youth and at-risk students and deal more with literacy…

This study examined relationships between learning style and computer-assisted discovery learning. Secondary students used computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to learn biology under three discovery learning circumstances. The main factor affecting the effectiveness of learning was students' initial acquisition of biology. Learning style and type…

Charts the many ways teachers can use materials gathered during their vacation travels in the classroom. Details activities built around material objects easily accessible through museum gift shops or local stores. Recommends using newspapers for discussions of politics and economics germane to the area. (MJP)

Two-thirds of Montana's school districts are rural, and most students attend schools with enrollments under 300. Such recent trends as peer tutoring, multigrade classrooms, and project-based learning have always been practiced in these small schools. One small community's successful effort to save its school, classroom practices in one-room…

Describes how simulations, role plays, and other experiential exercises can be used in educational settings to reduce resistance and encourage discourse on equity issues. These techniques can bring new insights into professional development in multicultural education, raising awareness of hidden biases so teachers feel more comfortable in the…

Recommends modifying adventure education experiences to reflect the needs of adolescent girls: understanding differences in male-female play patterns, varying opinion requests, using single-gender grouping, facilitating equal female participation, using role models, letting girls do things for themselves, complimenting girls on their talents,…

One effect of the standard design of science center programs that equate science with entertainment is that visitors are prevented from acquiring scientific literacy. Examines the discursive construction of science and explores what entails citizenship in a risk society. (DDR)

A study examined types of positions, job responsibilities, and training backgrounds of 203 outdoor/adventure leaders. Survey responses indicated an increase in female outdoor leaders, but they received less pay than their male counterparts. Personal experience, professional workshops, and certifications were listed more frequently than academic…

A complete education must integrate the development of mind, body, and spirit without violating the separation of Church and State. The four main parts of a curriculum for the development of the soul would be the arts, community service, outdoor environmental education, and human development. Other components would be leisure time, space for…

Describes how instruction and exposure contributed to the development of oral proficiency in English as a Second Language in mutually exclusive learning situations in Nepal. This study finds that both instruction and exposure contribute to second-language acquisition, the former promoting accuracy, the latter promoting fluency. (Author/VWL)

Describes an urban environmental stewardship project undertaken by students at a Seattle public school in an effort to make their school more beautiful, their environment more healthy, and their learning more tangible. In partnership with neighbors and the community, students transformed a section of the school grounds into a garden refuge.…

An Alberta teacher education program built around "teacher knowledge" begins with what preservice teachers already know rather than programmed knowledge and skills. Learning to teach becomes a process of expressing one's knowledge in practice, reflecting on that practice using personal and theoretical resources, and then trying out…

A survey of 984 mothers in Bavaria of young children with disabilities investigated their views regarding cooperation and what they expect to achieve from parent-expert partnerships. Results indicate dialoguing with professionals and model learning during intervention is the most helpful way for parents to learn how to cope with their child.…

Contends that science education researchers should devote more time to creating and studying models of intergenerational and community-based science education. Argues that such inquiries have the potential to provoke new thinking that could expand basic conceptions of what it means to learn and practice science. (WRM)