To many educators, Web-based training (WBT) is the constructivist ideal--learners can construct meaning through self-directed inquiry, guided activity, and group collaboration on the information highway, the digital library, cyberspace, or the global village. Although research on the effectiveness of WBT as a vehicle for constructivist learning is…

Problem-based learning and teaching with case studies are instructional approaches that are increasingly being applied in a variety of disciplines, such as business, law, medicine, and education. Although there are texts available that offer examples of what works and what to avoid when teaching with cases, instructors exposed to traditional…

This multiple-case study describes how three constructivist high school teachers attained their knowledge and skills and how the knowledge and skills translate into classroom applications in the high school setting. Ongoing interviews and observations were conducted over 1 year with selected participants, and documents provided by each…

To establish standards of quality in online courses developed through the University of Hawaii's Asynchronous Learning project funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a preliminary study of courses from various disciplines was conducted. The aim of the study was to identify teaching activities that contributed to the creation of a high quality…

This issue of "TAP into Learning" focuses on technology-assisted learning activities for students, in particular on those that use spreadsheets. Articles include: "Using What Learners Know"; "Activity: Grade 7 and 8 Math, Social Studies and Language Arts"; "Managing Growth: Collaborative Decision-Making in Urban Planning"; "Spreadsheets"; "Getting…

This study focuses on the integration of technology into middle school science classrooms. It concerns building interest among students in science and technology and understanding the impacts of technology in student learning. Three questions are posed: (1) How does using the Internet influence student performance in science? (2) How does using…

The theoretical frameworks that have guided a researcher's focus on interest, the curricular and pedagogical implications of this research, and the possibilities for future research are described. The research project in question focuses on the effects of interest and importance on attention and learning of test material through a cognitive…

The primary objective of this research was to examine the relationship between student achievement in mathematics and pedagogical approach used by middle school mathematics teachers in the United States who participated in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. In this research, student achievement was explored at the item, rather…

The Teacher Professional Development Institute employs Internet technology to support distributed professional learning communities. The Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will soon employ a similar model in its program. Work and learning within STEP evolves around instructional design teams…

Collaborative, participatory, and empowerment research (D. Fetterman and others, 1996) presents particular challenges and special rewards for evaluators working with children. This paper describes some of what one evaluator learned from the process of designing and using in data collection and analysis a structured interview for children (ages…

As a learning theory, constructivism describes knowledge as being in flux--where an individual internally constructs knowledge through social and cultural mediation. Constructivist learning theorists contend that social activity and discourse must play important roles in order for understanding to occur. This paper describes how the social…

This paper describes the experience of making changes to an introductory educational technology course at Florida Gulf Coast University, which has just completed developing new curricula for its initial teacher certification programs. Constructed from the ground up and based heavily on research and theory, the new curricula ensure that technology…

Constructivism is considered a driving force in mathematics education. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the social constructivist view of learning can be useful in the teaching of high school algebra and in the preparation of mathematics teachers. A brief summary of the social constructivist view as a philosophy of mathematics is…

It has been suggested in the existing literature that the use of constructivist approaches in the educational setting contributes to active learning and knowledge transfer for students. This paper provides an overview of constructivist approaches used in a graduate-level instructional media production course at a midwestern comprehensive…

Builds a case for possible connections between the discipline of mathematics education and the practice of mathematics education in the classroom. Focuses on constructivist, interactionist, and enactivist theorizing and research. Argues that this approach offers opportunities for divergent thinking. (DDR)