Aspects of physical education teacher education that 12 participants reported were instrumental in developing understanding of and commitment to a movement approach (constructivist and developmental approach) are described. Coursework gave students a broader context for interpreting field experiences, whereas learning through doing exemplified and…

Evaluates the effectiveness of a course using a constructivist approach in reducing Dutch secondary school students (n=190) misconceptions about force. Concluded that the lessons were effective in changing students' ideas in regard to forces in rest situations and frictional forces and that learning effects were equally distributed over student…

Argues that a virtual field trip can complement and enhance a real one. Discusses the benefits and pitfalls of both types of field trips. Outlines a series of student and teacher activities combining an actual field trip and a virtual one to Fort Snelling in St. Paul, Minnesota. (MJP)

Describes the work of four Wyoming high school students who created a CD-ROM collection of Oregon Trail documents for use by fourth graders. The students reviewed 60 boxes of diaries, government documents, prints, and artifacts, becoming historians themselves as they created the electronic database. Includes photographs and illustrations. (MJP)

Describes an approach based upon the constructivist model of learning and curriculum development for using the computer as an integrated curriculum tool in early childhood classrooms. Includes discussion of constructivist theory and its application and characteristics of curriculum in constructivist classrooms. (KB)

In Sweden, governmental decision-making is based on a social-democratic ideology and a system of representative democracy. In citizens' meetings, the democratic values and norms, that are both a requirement and goal, at are formed. This concept of democracy, and the value system behind it, permeates Swedish culture, and its institutions and…

The introduction of an open-ended MicroWorlds based assignment in a pre-service teaching degree produced interesting results. Students engaged with the task at very high levels and produced work of high quality; so much so that marking trends were reversed. This paper explores the design and implementation of the task and how for many students it…

Various major publications such as the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) and the collection of research results regarding the use of inquiry methodology in the teaching and learning of science edited by Minstrell & van Zee (2000) recommend that science should be taught in the same way that it is…

We presume that models and theory in instructional design inform professional practice, but theory has not been consistently built from the professional experiences of instructional designers. This study draws on the observations of five instructional designers who discuss their professional identities, their communities of practice and their…

This article describes a method of constructivist pedagogy resembling the quilting process. Inspired by the work of Faith Ringgold, a story quilt was created in two sections of a teacher training social studies methods class. Each class created a story quilt to demonstrate the connection between the power of story, research, and technology--the…

In the spring of 2000, five Springfield, Missouri, elementary schools piloted the first semester of a WorldCom/Campus Compact Grant called "Students as Citizens: Linking Families, Schools, Communities and Universities to Enhance Learning through Technology." The grant title was later changed to "Discovering Springfield's First…

An apparently simple self-study that consisted of a longitudinal review of Grade 12 students' self-reflections from the past five years triggered a personally profound struggle about past classroom practices and surfaced a host of assumptions about teaching and learning. This research challenged the author to enact personal and professional values…

This constructivist case study investigated student understanding about HIV/AIDS in the context of a service-learning partnership between a university class and local AIDS service organization. Analysis of data garnered from four organization staff, three teaching staff, and eight undergraduates suggests that interaction with clients and staff…

High school students (n = 45) participated in a 5-day research immersion study on juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. Self-surveys were used to evaluate scientific concepts and skills taught during the program. There was a significant shift in students' perceived level of understanding for all categories of concepts…

Preservice teachers often enter English language arts teacher preparation courses with untapped fears of writing and teaching writing due to null or bad experiences as K-12 students. In this article, I follow two preservice elementary teachers through a semester long methods course and reveal how they developed positive, clear images of themselves…