Introduces an issue that details a complex study of a science-teacher-education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change conceptions of teaching science and were disposed to put them into practice. Presents a conceptual framework for science-teacher education, and describes the context and major questions of the…

Describes a teacher-researcher's investigation into barriers to student adoption of an alternative referent for learning and its consequential learning strategies in an 11th-grade chemistry class. Suggests that various contextual factors influenced students' willingness to adopt the alternative referent, and that students' beliefs, trust of the…

Describes an action-research project conducted by student teachers in Edinburgh designed to explore ways in which children picture what happens inside an electric circuit. The student teachers also explored their own understanding of electricity. (Author/WRM)

This interview discusses the school-improvement process, describing difficulties with setting schoolwide goals, what should happen once the goal is selected, what prevents schools from emphasizing a single goal and working to achieve it, the need to develop high academic expectations for all students, how to use research, ways to go beyond test…

This article describes the establishment of a "women's issues" group with middle-school gifted girls. Ground rules for the group, selection of materials for discussion, issues discussed, and outcomes of the group are highlighted. Participants were found to like learning, like thinking about abstract issues, and have high academic goals. (CR)

University education students examined three strategies to teach drawing--self-expression, observational drawing, and incorporating language input--to primary school students. Findings suggested that particular characteristics of language strategies were most successful in promoting learning, especially when instructors were clear about the type…

This article describes the rationale, development, and first-year implementation of Wisconsin's Preschool Action Research and Development Initiative, a school-university partnership that creates opportunities for researchers and teachers to work collaboratively while examining issues related to early childhood inclusion. Findings on the impact on…

A high school history teacher of gifted students examined difficulties in establishing cooperative groups when members changed frequently. Student interviews and surveys indicated that some students were happy to remain nonparticipants in any group. Participation was less a factor of group makeup than a factor of student opinion about grades.…

Describes an action research project that explored whether internally negotiated group control was possible among preadolescents in school settings. Presents John Dewey's thoughts on social control. Discusses study of students' perspectives and actions concerning authority issues and social control. Describes a social studies curriculum used to…

Students in a Winnipeg (Manitoba) alternative high school participated in a project designed to increase student voice in their own learning and in school direction. Studying emotional intelligence, helping plan a provincial student conference, and conducting research on student priorities developed real-world skills, increased appreciation of…

Several Colorado schools hired data analysts to help with school improvement efforts. The analysts are teachers who participate on school leadership teams and who support school action research teams. They collect and organize baseline data, help teams measure results of proposed changes, and evaluate results after implementation. Because they are…

Describes researcher and teacher-researcher analyses of inquiry teaching of the nature of science to prospective elementary teachers. Discusses the difficulties with presenting a cogent and comprehensive picture of the nature of science, the teacher's pivotal role in initiating discussions of science and scientists' work, and the strengths and…

Investigated 8th grade science education within all-boys', all-girls' and coeducational classes. A college professor observed and scripted student behaviors, teacher behaviors, and teacher-student interactions. The two educators collaboratively examined gender-specific behaviors, problems such behaviors created for science instruction, and…

This paper reports on the transition of the researcher's teaching from before and during an innovation in teaching practice, including 1 year of traditional teaching (1996) and 3 years of teaching based on a constructivist view of learning (1999-2001), in a university physics course in Taiwan. Learning outcomes for each year were evaluated by both…

Having ownership of a dream is a core element for school improvement and effectiveness. Believing in the effectiveness of a programme is the beginning of reviving a school's internal capacities for improvement. Any improvement and development programme needs to be inviting and non-threatening, a holistic process involving all stakeholders. In this…