Reports on the effects of constructivist versus traditional teaching approaches on university students' learning about osmosis and diffusion. Students understood diffusion and osmosis more deeply in the constructivist-informed classroom, which used small discussion groups rather than traditional large lecture groups. Suggests ways to improve…

Defines aesthetics when framed as critical inquiry as the process of teaching students to use critical strategies of professional philosophers to develop aesthetic content. Addresses four major aesthetic issues: meaning and value in art, how to discuss art, aesthetic experience, and beauty. Presents a sequence of critical-inquiry activities. (CMK)

To transform gendered organizational theories and practices in education, conversational meeting spaces must be created. Board rooms, classrooms, graduate educational administration courses, preservice education policy courses, staff lunch rooms, and professional seminars and journals are all sites for reinscribing or resisting gendered norms.…

Describes distance education in an elementary science methods course using newsgroups and electronic mail discussion groups via computer. Compares the newsgroup to the discussion group and points out the importance of interaction in cooperative learning. (YDS)

Presents a lesson plan in which students become familiar with the history of military, political, and diplomatic efforts to separate countries and the ramifications of isolating regions and their populations by studying the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Explains that the DMZ was established by the July 27th 1953 armistice. (CMK)

Describes activities that enable students to study the history of the Korean War and its impact by researching local history and the popular culture of the time. Explains that students learn how to collect and analyze historical sources that offer different viewpoints. Provides discussion topics and Internet resources. (CMK)

Describes a course entitled "Art and Art Theory of the 18th Century" designed for both undergraduate and graduate students that introduces them to the demanding work of scholars as opposed to the broad survey courses usually offered. Justifies and highlights the readings for the course and provides a sample schedule. (CMK)

Demonstrates that the ways people reflect individually are shared across cultures, but the ways they reflect collaboratively are structured differently among cultures, examining cultural differences in communication and discussion methods and concluding that these differences have implications for teacher education. Teacher educators must be…

Explores students' self-perceptions of their classroom participation as compared to peer and instructor perception. Finds significant correlation between instructor and peer rankings, while the correlation between self and instructor rankings was not significant. Concludes that students rated themselves as participating at higher levels than both…

Describes how one urban middle school teacher uses young adult literature to encourage lively class conversations, to develop students' fundamental skills, and to sharpen their abilities to connect literature with their own lives. Discusses parent/guardian permission and interdisciplinary connections, supplementary readings, literature…

Presents a number of suggestions for using reading circles in elementary school French second-language instruction, including reading text selection, grouping, organizing discussions, knowing when to intervene, and student assessment techniques such as reading logs, passports, critical presentations, and negotiated evaluations. (MSE)

Discusses how electronic mail helps foreign-language (FL) teachers by enhancing their curriculum, improving their FL contacts, and facilitating their own professional development. Electronic mail offers access to discussion groups and newsgroups. It allows teachers to design activities and projects that enhance their curriculum and provide…

The administrator preparation programs at the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Christian University both have a strong critical-thinking component. The universities share a common vision to promote and maximize learning opportunities for all within a community of learners, explore appropriate instructional strategies, model the notion of…

Used the philosophy of Matthew Lipman as the basis for a discussion-group intervention to improve peer relationships, increase children's self-understanding, enhance their respect for others, and improve critical thinking in 3- to 6-year olds. Found that children improved in their understanding that others have opinions and in their ability to…

Describes focus-group activities designed to generate information for use in decision making about core and elective courses in a library and information science (LIS) curriculum. Discusses how focus-group activity fits with LIS program review. Also includes questions asked and responses; and feeding opinions into a decision apparatus. (AEF)