"Toxic Waste in Grand Banks" is an assessment task in which students from a high school economics class investigate the issues of economic prosperity, environmental concerns, government intervention in the market economy, and responsible civic participation in solving community problems. Students will demonstrate an ability--both individually and…

This paper is a "how-to" paper for promoting writing and critical thinking skills. Intended to be practical in providing timely and helpful strategies for fostering analytical thinking and effective writing among college students, the paper is offered as a useful resource for classroom instructors seeking fresh new ideas and approaches…

The purposes of this study were to: (1) identify the types of questions that students ask during science learning; (2) explicate the role of students' questions in the knowledge construction process; (3) investigate the relationship between students' questions and approaches to learning; and (4) discuss some emergent issues related to student…

This document contains an annotated bibliography aimed at the teaching of the physical sciences at the tertiary level to those who wish to become more informed about teaching related research evidence and undertake science education research. The bibliography offers an overview of teaching and learning in the physical sciences and key references…

This book offers 44 activities for developing capacities of seven types of intelligence identified by Howard Gardner in his theory of multiple intelligences. The activities, grouped by the type of intelligence the activity primarily fosters, are intended for students to do on their own. The intelligences and sample activities are as follows: (1)…

This issue of Changing Schools explores what algebraic thinking is and why students need algebraic thinking. The efforts of Kansas and North Dakota to incorporate algebraic thinking into their state mathematics standards are described. Contents include: (1) "Algebraic Thinking: Preparing Students for Mastering Algebraic Concepts" (Vicki…

The purposes of this paper are to present research related to the development of new instructional games (named Survivor's Games), and measure the effectiveness of these games to help students (K-5) master basic fact operations (single-digit additions or factor and single- or double digit sums or products), stimulate the exploration of…

This project opens a conversation about the use of discourse as the basis for encouraging students' mathematical thinking in classrooms and supporting professional growth. A collaboration of teacher practitioners and Math Forum staff, it reflects an attempt to integrate practice and research, reporting on findings culled from discussions of…

This research evaluates the effectiveness of computer-mediated support for students' individual and collaborative argumentation. "Convince Me" is a "reasoner's workbench" program that aids students in generating and analyzing arguments, providing feedback on argument coherence from a general computational model. Laboratory studies indicate that…

This paper focuses on 2 high school students and their thoughts and feelings as they engaged in a topic of their own choosing during a 2-month summer action research program. Their high school astronomy teacher monitored their choice of topic and progress. The students engaged in authentic tasks and used materials couched in problem-oriented…

This issue of Mathematics Education Dialogues focuses on the nature and the role of algebra in the K-14 curriculum. Articles on this theme include: (1) "Algebra For All? Why?" (Nel Noddings); (2) "Algebra For All: It's a Matter of Equity, Expectations, and Effectiveness" (Dorothy S. Strong and Nell B. Cobb); (3) "Don't Delay: Build and Talk about…

A combination of traditional reading, media, and Internet information sources is necessary in today's educational sphere to bridge cultural differences, engage students' realms of experience, and promote academic and cultural literacy. A key issue for educators today is to utilize and extend the vehicles students are currently using in order to…

This book presents a case for the development of classrooms in which students are encouraged to construct deep understandings of important concepts. The book contains 3 parts with 10 chapters. Part 1, "The Call for Constructivism," includes (1) "Honoring the Learning Process," (2) "Considering the Possibilities," and (3) "Coming to Know One's…

One educator's interdisciplinary interests in literature, film, and culture studies led him to the establishment of "Film Study," an upper school English course in which students develop a sense of "film literacy" through detailed "reading" of visual images; in addition, students evolve a working critical vocabulary…

This report investigated to what extent a curriculum designed to actively teach critical thinking skills resulted in students utilizing higher-order thinking skills (e.g., analysis, synthesis and evaluation). An intervention strategy was designed for a sixth grade class located in a diverse suburban community in northern Illinois. The intervention…