Current thinking of researchers from different disciplines about interaction among students in educational settings and the potential of peer interaction for learning and cognitive development is discussed. Topics of the eight papers presented include: potential outcomes of peer interaction, its nature, peer learning settings, and factors shaping…

Examines issues relating to information technology that will affect the future of school librarians. Topics discussed include teaching versus learning; the need for new sets of skills; becoming systems analysts; matching technology with users' information needs; management information systems; and shifting models regarding the role of school…

Describes the use and rationale of "Silent Teaching," a teaching technique in which the teacher remains silent as students generate and evaluate hypotheses while trying to understand an as-yet undiscovered concept. (MDH)

Presents the results of a survey of 165 seventh grade students asked to respond yes, no, or maybe to 21 metacognitive statements about their cognitive activity on a mathematical word problem. Suggests how to use the responses as a basis for developing classroom activities. (MDH)

A longitudinal study followed Brian from grade five through grade seven to examine his representation and development of mathematical knowledge. Some observations over the four years were that Brian liked to figure things out, responded poorly to suggestions not fitting the representation he constructed, and changed attitudes from purposeful and…

Presents four educational experiments reflecting Jerome Bruner's theories on iconic and enactive representation to emphasize the need for more research on how children learn. Advocates greater institutional cooperation among schools, teachers, and researchers to improve research implementation and reduce problems of school disruption and…

Presents a scripted lesson plan for intermediate grades, based on M.C. Wittrock's model of generative teaching derived from brain lateralization research. Uses a shopping mall as the setting for hypothetical dilemmas. Offers a combination of verbal and imagined strategies that improve students' economic reasoning and teaches cost-benefit analysis.…

Argues that a virtual field trip can complement and enhance a real one. Discusses the benefits and pitfalls of both types of field trips. Outlines a series of student and teacher activities combining an actual field trip and a virtual one to Fort Snelling in St. Paul, Minnesota. (MJP)

Describes the work of four Wyoming high school students who created a CD-ROM collection of Oregon Trail documents for use by fourth graders. The students reviewed 60 boxes of diaries, government documents, prints, and artifacts, becoming historians themselves as they created the electronic database. Includes photographs and illustrations. (MJP)

Reports on a study of 257 London Train Operators who viewed a short Computer-based Training Module (CBT), completed a Cognitive Styles Analysis, and then performed related tasks. Multivariate analysis revealed the influence on learning performance of age, cognitive style, and attitude to technology. Includes tables, graphs, and statistical…

Explored learning and instruction within a technology-rich, collaborative, participatory learning environment by tracking the emergence of shared understanding and products through student and teacher practices. Found that becoming knowledgeably skillful with respect to a particular practice or concept is a multigenerational process, evolving in…

This project utilized computer technology to establish an email discussion forum for communication and learning in which students shared information, ideas, and processes of learning multicultural education. This paper presents the quantitative count of email messages and qualitative analysis of students' perceptions of email discussions. It then…

The introduction of an open-ended MicroWorlds based assignment in a pre-service teaching degree produced interesting results. Students engaged with the task at very high levels and produced work of high quality; so much so that marking trends were reversed. This paper explores the design and implementation of the task and how for many students it…

Students entering Steve Speier's Spanish class pull their personal laptops from their packs and begin preparing for the lesson. Some review Speier's board notes containing a combination of typed phrases and dozens of handdrawn vocabulary words saved as PDF files from his interactive white board Notebook program. Others don headphones and listen to…

The discourse on teacher quality has centered on issues of teacher knowledge and teacher skill, yet a third element that is central to all professional standards is teacher dispositions. Although there is no consensus about a definition of teacher dispositions, there are several models in use regarding how dispositions are being addressed. Most…