Perhaps one of the first concepts to which students in the communication hybrid course are exposed is the perception process. Students often learn that communication involves perception, which is dealing with several different forms of information or stimuli and deciding how to utilize that information to accomplish their goals. Perception…

"Weak central coherence" refers to the detail-focused processing style proposed to characterise autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The original suggestion of a core deficit in central processing resulting in failure to extract global form/meaning, has been challenged in three ways. First, it may represent an outcome of superiority in local…

In this paper I comment on recent recommendations that students' responsiveness to instruction (RTI) provides a basis for identification of students as learning disabled. I repeat an earlier argument (Gerber & Semmel, 1985) that teachers embedded in schools are naturally variable in their capacity to respond to differences in students' response to…

Drawing on the work of Frances Fuller's stages of concern, David Hunt's conceptual levels, and Jean Piaget's model of equilibration, a new view of principal leadership is presented. By attending to the preferred learning style of a group, taking into account the level of stress present as a result of initiatives, and listening to the level of…

Four temperament qualities and their origins are described together with the influence of temperament styles on teaching and learning styles. Teachers are encouraged to provide opportunities for students to utilize their strengths, to overcome weaknesses, to encourage positive behaviors, to promote an understanding of themselves and others, and to…

This paper explores issues raised during the development and implementation of a new multimedia learning experience, outlining the context to the research and focussing on the changing roles for teachers and learners in the light of evolving new technologies. A backdrop of successive government policies to widening participation is provided to…

Purpose: In this afterword, I will offer some final thoughts on this clinical forum by considering a central question of EBP--how experimental validation is defined--to illustrate the difficulty involved in implementing EBP. Method: The comments draw on critical reviews I have received on my article in this forum and conversations I have had with…

Comments on the original article "Sex Differences in Intrinsic Aptitude for Mathematics and Science?: A Critical Review," by E. S. Spelke (see record EJ733610 ). Spelke reviewed an assortment of studies showing how rare the differences are between genders in mathematics ability. Yet she also mentioned that academic faculties of U.S. universities…

Neurologist and middle school teacher Judy Willis connects what you do in the classroom to what happens in the brain when students learn how to read, including: (1) Why a classroom has to be safe and supportive in order to overcome barriers to reading fluency; (2) How to jumpstart students who are not well prepared for reading with activities that…

Beginning foreign language (FL) courses in high school often have high numbers of learning disabled (LED) and at-risk students, perhaps because many students who are considered to be college bound begin foreign language study in middle school. This paper examines FL difficulties as well as effective strategies that others have used to conquer…

Given the paucity of research that has examined associations between learning styles and chosen academic discipline in connection with performance on different second language (L2) verbal fluency tasks, the authors undertook the current study with the aim of investigating the relationship between Greek students' learning styles and performance on…

The purpose of this study is to explore the learning effect related to different learning styles in a Web-based virtual science laboratory for elementary school students. The online virtual lab allows teachers to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) into science lessons. The results of this experimental teaching method…

Audience Response Technology (ART) has been widely adopted on college campuses, and prior research indicates that, on average, it receives positive evaluations from students. However, research has not yet examined how characteristics of students as learners influence their responses to ART. The current study examined aptitude for learning,…

Noted educator Carol Ann Tomlinson shares the insights that shaped her thinking about informative assessment. Informative assessment goes beyond tests and the grade book. It means assessing students both formally and informally in multiple ways and giving frequent, productive feedback on student work. Informative assessment isn't separate from…

This study examined cultural values and practices of Apache Indian families in regards to child rearing and how culturally responsive our schools' educational practices are with this population of individuals. Findings from this study revealed a potentially negative impact on these students' development and academic achievement. Solutions to…