The article details the transformation of one literature discussion group reading the story, Felita, by Nicholosa Mohr. The research study documented the process of implementing literature discussion groups with multicultural children's literature in a fourth grade English language arts classroom. Through a discussion of a critical incident in the…

The education industry has obviously been influenced by the Internet revolution. Teaching and learning methods have changed significantly since the coming of the Web and it is very likely they will keep evolving many years to come thanks to it. A good example of this changing reality is the spectacular development of e-Learning. In a more…

This information digest provides an overview of some areas of agreement between the fields of gifted education and middle school education, some areas of tension, and some promising directions that could engage educators in mutual planning of appropriate services for all middle school students, including the gifted. Shared beliefs include the…

This text introduces the concepts of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and shows how they can be used in the classroom. A quality classroom is defined as one in which everyone in the class knows the objectives of the class and adopts a quality philosophy to continuously improve the work done to meet those objectives. The general principles and…

This report describes a program for increasing student motivation as demonstrated by a higher percentage of completed homework and maximum voluntary class participation. The targeted population consisted of third, sixth, and tenth grade students from low to middle income families located in northern Illinois. The problem of low motivation was…

This publication is intended to serve as a resource for K-12 social studies teachers charged with the major responsibility of making peace and law-relaed concepts meaningful to students. The purpose of this resource book is to empower teachers and students in Hawaii with the concepts of peace and law. It seeks to foster dialogue between and among…

When children's own strategies for solving mathematical problems are not connected to the way mathematics is taught in school, students fail to make sense of mathematics instruction and begin to "fail." This chapter adopts the position that student understanding of worthwhile mathematical content is the essential goal of mathematics education, and…

As the world becomes more diverse socially, culturally, and economically, there are growing expectations that the individual's differences and rights will be recognized, respected, and responded to in positive ways. This book provides teachers of both multi-age and diverse single-age classrooms guidance on classroom organization, curriculum…

The persistent underrepresentation of women and people of color in science and mathematics education and careers remains a challenge to all who champion the commitment of equity and excellence in education. This is the first publication in a series produced by the Science and Mathematics Education unit at the Northwest Regional Educational…

This booklet summarizes the science chapter from the "Handbook of Research on Improving Student Achievement," a report sponsored by the Alliance for Curriculum Reform and also published by the Educational Research Service. The handbook is based on the idea that efforts to improve instruction must focus on the existing knowledge base on…

This paper reviews the research on use of collaborative writing teaching methods at the postsecondary level. Following a brief summary of the theoretical framework of collaborative writing, the paper examines the research on the six features of collaborative writing most used in classrooms: disclosure, which encourages students to engage in deep…

The purpose of this study was to explore variables related to characteristics of high school students using computer-mediated communication (CMC) technology. Student characteristics are explored with respect to gender, academic self-concept, parental education, skill and experience with technology, communication apprehension, and social influence.…

A plan was developed to improve test scores in a Georgia high school. A committee of teachers, students, citizens, and a curriculum consultant was formed to analyze the school's problems and the reason for low test scores and low achievement. Data on the school climate indicated that it was poor, except that the instructional leadership of the…

This report summarizes and analyzes the impact of a collaborative project joining Conestoga Valley Middle School and Millersville University (Pennsylvania). The project, part of the Keystone Integrated Framework Project, promoted partnerships between local schools and teacher education programs in Pennsylvania. This project was a 7-week, role…

This document consists of four papers presented at a symposium on contextual learning issues moderated by John Henschke at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). "Self-Directed Learning in Organizations: An Analysis of Policies and Practices of Seven Resource Companies in Western Canada" (H. K. Morris…