In this review of the research on how current computer learning environments can foster the acquisition of complex cognitive skills, two issues emerge: (1) what cognitive accomplishments are likely in the computer environment; and (2) what factors predispose students to benefit from the environment. (MBR)

Describes results of several studies which led to integration of end-user searching using BRS/After Dark in the bibliographic instruction program at Earlham College (Indiana). These studies compared results and patterns of online searches by students and librarians, as well as online and manual searches by students. Student opinions were also…

How a fictitious international corporation is used to train managers in comparative governmental and legal processes is described. Masters of business and public management students are exposed to the simulated operation of an international firm that integrates the economic, market, legal, and political environments of managerial decision making.…

Recommended materials, assignment formats, and strategies for a course emphasizing development of functional proficiency in commercial French and focusing on three areas (context, practice, and verification) are outlined, including lectures, abstracting of readings, readings, long-term projects, and weekly projects. (MSE)

Considers evolution of craft-training policies and practices in Kenya since 1945, with particular reference to engineering trades. Provides a case study of the process of occupational and training transfer from the metropolitan countries (Britain) to those in the periphery. Explores relationships between education/training and the labor market.…

The Department of Education has undertaken an ambitious effort to develop statewide career and technical education skill standards. The standards in this document are for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) programs and are designed to clearly state what the student should know and be able to do upon completion of…

There is solid consensus among researchers, program providers, and families that participation in constructive activities during out-of-school time hours can contribute to a youth's healthy and positive development. This paper explores some of the key issues and challenges facing program and city leaders in creating and sustaining afterschool…

This book defines what rubrics are, and how to construct and use them. It provides a complete introduction for anyone starting out to integrate rubrics in their teaching. The authors go on to describe a variety of processes to construct rubrics, including some which involve student participation. They demonstrate how interactive rubrics--a process…

Global competition, sweeping technological change, and demographic shifts in the labor force call for a national campaign to improve the skills and professionalism of the American workforce. This document calls for the creation of new learning partnerships throughout communities and workplaces to sustain middle-class jobs, pay the social costs of…

From the perspective of the field of adult literacy, the year 1999 is best seen not as the penultimate year of the millennium but as the year bookended by the reauthorization of the National Literacy Act in late 1998 and the National Literacy Summit of early 2000. Both of those events represent a huge milestone, and 1999 may be regarded as the…

Taking advantage of user-friendly technology, Audience Response Systems (ARS) facilitates greater interaction with participants engaged in a variety of group activities. Each participant has an input device that permits them to express a view in complete anonymity, and the composite view of the total group appears on a public screen. ARS can then…

Teachers make the greatest impact on students--what they learn, how they learn it, and what they do with it. Decades of research clearly demonstrate that a quality teacher, more than any other factor, enables students to overcome obstacles to learning like poverty and can even erase the achievement gap. The problem is that many teachers lack the…

How do some students extract complex information from advanced reading materials while others struggle to find the meaning of even simple passages? What characteristics do strategic readers exhibit that others don't possess? Unlocking the cognitive strategies of exceptional readers means finding ways to teach every student to read strategically,…

A growing body of evidence indicates that the test scores of low-income children drop significantly relative to their higher-income counterparts during the summer months. This study finds that a well-implemented summer learning program can improve reading skills and increase the extent to which parents encourage their children to read during the…

For almost 50 years, ACT has played a pivotal role in promoting student access into and success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Through academic and career assessments, career development tools, and extensive research, they have helped inform students, parents, teachers, career counselors, employers, and…