Noting that literature on higher education instruction is sparse on the topic of class and course endings, this paper provides advice on how to successfully end individual classes and semester-long courses in ways that maximize learning and minimize discomfort. Based on this literature and a discussion the authors initiated through online computer…

This paper reports on a comparative study of the use of asynchronous (bulletin board) and synchronous (chat) discussion on three learning units based on the cognitive maps developed by the learners. Cognitive maps have been found to be an effective tool for learners for discussion in a distributed learning environment. Cognitive maps provided…

This study explores the complex interaction and individuality of students in a community college basic writing class. Students represented a diverse population in terms of age and ethnicity. The research makes use of informal and formal modes of writing in the classroom as a way to understand writing as both an individual activity and as a social…

This study investigated whether there was a difference in the level of academic achievement for African American students when instructed through lecture and discussion and cooperative learning methods in the social studies classroom. Participants were 58 African American 12th graders in an urban public school. A control group was instructed using…

This report provides K-12 educators with instructional strategies that research shows have the greatest likelihood of positively affecting student learning. The 12 chapters include: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Identifying Similarities and Differences (comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies); (3)…

Under the concept of lifelong education, many people from many parts of the social environment will need to be trained and learn about IT (Instructional Technology). The authors have started building a framework for such people, as a distance educational model of self/collaborative learning support. The purpose of this study is to propose and…

As the largest provider of MBA talent in the Western United States, the Graziadio School of Business and Management (Malibu, California) had a need to create a technology infrastructure to support students and staff distributed in seven educational centers throughout California. This paper describes the process by which the School came to…

The World Wide Web has developed as the de facto standard for computer based learning. However, as a server-centered approach, it confines readers and learners to passive nonsequential reading. Authoring and Web-publishing systems aim at supporting the authors' design process. Consequently, learners' activities are confined to selecting and…

In this curriculum unit, students create an itinerary and describe an Internet road trip from California to the East Coast. The student guide provides an overview of the activity, detailed instructions, a list of online resources, and reflection questions. The teacher's notes describe the unit's purpose, its correlation to historical and social…

Science education standards urge less emphasis on memorizing decontextualized scientific facts and more emphasis on students investigating the everyday world and developing deep understanding from their inquiries. This paper describes work in developing science curriculum materials that support current reform movements. It includes assumptions for…

This report describes a program for improving reading comprehension skills in order to heighten understanding of materials covered in class and performance on activities and exams. The targeted population consisted of first-, fifth-, and eighth-grade students in a large, lower- to middle-class community located in central Illinois. The problems in…

A study recorded the experiences of elementary school students with cooperative learning in two schools in Singapore. The students worked cooperatively in various assigned social studies tasks through the process of social interaction and sharing with their peers. One school was used as the experimental school while the other served as the…

Research clearly supports the efficacy of self-directed teams in the learning of information systems (IS) skills. This paper proposes that the use of self-directed teams demands a considerable amount of direction on the part of the instructor. Students in two sections of an introductory IS class were surveyed with explicit questions about their…

This paper describes the results of implementing a team-project approach to a methods course for preservice physical science teachers. The course is meant to give future teachers realistic experiences in the pursuit of solutions to problems where no answers are provided by the textbook or the instructor. Each lesson introduces a problem, offers…

Although it is not yet common practice, case studies are beginning to be used in undergraduate music methods classes. One fruitful approach is the use of case studies as a means of nurturing reflective practice through cooperative learning activities. This paper describes and presents support for the case method of instruction through a review of…