The Rutgers Astrophysics Institute is a program in which gifted high school students learn about contemporary science and its methods, and conduct independent authentic research using real-time data. The students use the processes of science to acquire knowledge, and serve as cognitive apprentices to an expert astrophysicist. A variety of…

This paper reports a qualitative study on students' informal reasoning on a controversial socio-scientific issue. Twenty-two students from four science classes in Norway were interviewed about the local construction of new power lines and the possible increased risk of childhood leukaemia. The focus in the study is on what arguments the students…

This document consists of a workshop presentation on active learning in the engineering classroom. Eight sessions focus on: (1) the format and purpose of the workshop, which is designed to help instructors use active learning principles in the classroom; (2) the state of instruction in the engineering sciences; (3) the stages of knowledge and…

This document consists of a workshop presentation on the development of a new engineering science core curriculum at Arizona State University (ASU). Part 1 presents an overview of the project, which was designed to return a true commonality to the engineering science core and increase understanding of fundamental concepts by reinserting design…

A 3-year classroom study of learning styles among students of advanced English-as-a-Second-Language composition in Taiwan is reported. The study gathered data on 81 students' preferred learning styles and classroom tasks through closed-item and open-ended questionnaires, writing conference interviews, and student journals. Results indicate that…

Waldorf Education, founded by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, is based on the philosophy of critical idealism, in which teachers assist in the natural unfolding of children's preexistent possibilities. But because there has been little research on Waldorf Education, few data have been gathered on the effectiveness of its teaching methods and…

Based upon Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, this book guides elementary school teachers through the process of using classroom learning centers and projects by providing choices for students. The guide is divided into two sections, providing the theoretical background and information on how to develop multiple intelligences learning…

The case studies of three college students of beginning Chinese, all native speakers of English, were undertaken to examine how second language learners find a balance between linguistic knowledge and communicative competence. Data were gathered through classroom observations, oral and written coursework, and an interview concerning Chinese…

This book is divided into three parts: theories and models, learning in specific life contexts, and the influence of aging on learning. Chapters include: "Chaos Theory as a Framework for Understanding Adult Lifespan Learning" (John C. Cavanaugh, Lisa C. McGuire); "The Future Impact of the Communication Revolution" (Lynn Johnson); "The Educated…

The discussion presented here is intended to clarify terminology and concepts of learning strategies and language use strategies for second languages. It first provides working definitions for these terms: language learning and use strategies; language use strategies; language performance strategies; communication strategies; cognitive strategies;…

This theme issue describes Maryetta School, a rural pre-K-8 school in Stilwell, Oklahoma, with an enrollment of approximately 500 students, mostly American Indians of Cherokee descent. Although the area has a high poverty rate and virtually all the students are judged to be at risk, the school has an impressive array of programs and facilities and…

The strategies in this book, geared for students from grades 4-8, are designed to bring literature to life for students, and to encourage students to become lifelong readers. The first section of the book presents four "'Into' Activities" that are designed to get students excited and curious about what they are about to read and to build students'…

This workplace literacy curriculum is based on neuropsychological brain behavior research and the principles of continuous improvement in a learning environment. Section 1 explains the choice of this model. Section 2 defines the need for this type of workplace curriculum. Sections 3 and 4 discuss the method of building the thematic units and…

Thirty-eight student teachers at a small liberal arts college in northeast New York completed questionnaires requiring them to rank the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with statements about teaching in multicultural classrooms. Results revealed that student teachers approached their teaching methods very flexibly, recognizing that…

A study investigated the relationship of the upbringing of Indochinese children and cognitive style, especially in relation to the learning of English as a Second Language. Subjects were 108 Kampuchean and 73 Vietnamese refugee children at a Philippine refugee processing center. The children were interviewed concerning their previous school…