Proposes activity theory as a framework for student project work that is a form of open-ended contextual activity-based learning emphasizing problem solving as a collaborative effort. Topics include project work from a Vygotskian perspective of activity theory; and the design of a prototype for Web-based project work. (LRW)

Business students interviewed managers in 94 companies, 52 of which were involved in total quality management (TQM). Those not using TQM cited no perceived benefits or small company size. They were less likely to provide training in group process, empower employees to make quality improvements, or employ cross-functional teams. (SK)

Describes an end-of-semester assignment used in business communication courses in which groups of students give final presentations comparing communication strategies of three companies in an industry. Notes that the techniques of creating and giving multimedia presentations are learned by students from each other. (SR)

Describes the successful encouragement of student research provided by the Office of Student Research Opportunities (OSRO) at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The OSRO advises students, identifies faculty who want to mentor students, sponsors the Distinction in Research program, organizes an annual research day, helps fund summer and full-time…

Describes how students learn research skills by making "skinny books"--collections of photocopied articles made into a book with all the parts of a book added--on a topic a student wants to learn more about. Describes how skinny books have been used in a unit on the Holocaust. (SR)

Describes projects and learning activities on photography that are useful for elementary and secondary school teachers. Highlights include Web sites; workshops; two specific projects; lesson plan sites on the Internet; photography contests; and trends relating to photography. (LRW)

Describes a seven-week project completed by the author's eighth-grade science students (as they studied "the chemistry of living things") in which they designed an alien and its world using the scientific concepts that they learned in class. Compares class presentations using PowerPoint software to presentations using posterboard. (SR)

In a simulation, a student team studied a real factory system and tested three work configurations. The partnership benefitted students and business, but the project underscored the need for careful coordination, assistance from company management and instructors, and a longer time frame than a semester. (SK)

Describes having students conduct micro-ethnographic research projects, in which students study how participants construct the meanings of social practices in the worlds of school, home, peer group, or various virtual worlds. Discusses research procedures, adopting a cultural perspective, selecting research topics, becoming a participant observer,…

Describes an interdisciplinary project to help elementary school children discover the relationship among technology, history, and geography that involved the building of a model Brooklyn Bridge and considering the history and role of the real bridge. Suggestions for similar projects for other cities are appended. (JPB)

Describes a senior seminar as a capstone writing-intensive course with the purpose of introducing students to independent mathematical study. Discusses changes in the seminar over time that reflect changes in program emphasis and the interests of both faculty and students. (Author/MM)

Tests the hypothesis that integrating cross-course concepts in bioengineering and process control courses through a unified project could provide a stimulating learning environment. Indicates that the project helped students to integrate their acquired knowledge in process control in the bioengineering project. (ASK)

Introduces an event in which two school teams from Argentina and Vietnam joined those from each Australian state in a race of model cars powered by the sun that provides a challenging and exciting approach for students to apply their scientific and technological knowledge to design and build the most efficient vehicles possible to gain hands-on…

Discusses an alternative teaching approach that incorporates action learning principles along with authentic project-based methods into the full-time study of instructional design. Describes the implementation of action learning principles within a graduate program in instructional technology at George Mason University. (Author/LRW)

Several years ago, upon entering eighth grade, a student was given a Microsoft iPaq Pocket PC as a birthday present. After using it for several months, he noticed a distinct improvement in my grades. During the rest of the school year, he noticed that the improved academic achievement continued. He wondered if his experience was a mere fluke or…