Illuminates the beginning steps in learning to teach: gaining new knowledge and transforming it for purposes of teaching. Working with people not expert in Jewish content or pedagogy, the authors tried to foster substantive understandings and an attitude toward teaching that favors engagement of students with texts and serious ideas. (DSK)

Describes the Writing Center at Johnson County Community College as an institution that implements democratic ideals in its staffing and teaching; and where all voices are heard, encouraged, and validated. Describes three things necessary to achieve a writing center with a democratic nature: a peer-tutor program including formal tutor training;…

Argues that the idealism that is central to most stories of good teaching practice can become an obstacle when teachers who do not work in optimal conditions try to turn "theory" into practice. Offers an alternative narrative of "good" teaching: teacher and students constructing an intellectually engaging experience under less-than-optimal…

Presents a position paper on adolescent literacy and what adolescents deserve developed by the International Reading Association's Commission on Adolescent Literacy. Outlines some questions and answers about adolescent literacy. Details seven principles for supporting adolescents' literacy growth as they deserve. Lists suggested readings and notes…

States that government, college, and community leaders are calling for a reexamination of the community-college mission. Asserts that it is time for trustees and college leaders to reassess their institutions' core values to ensure they are meeting the demands of a new era. Contains 13 citations. (VWC)

Summarizes arguments about student consumerism and postmodernity made by Delucchi (Michael) and Smith (William L.)(1997), and suggests some implications for higher education not considered by those authors. Discusses faculty responsibility for the rise of consumerist attitudes toward education, control of knowledge by higher education, and…

Contends that comparison studies offer one important view from which to frame questions about the study of distance education. Responds to Farhad Saba's ("Toward a Systems Theory of Distance Education") major premises about distance-education research. (AEF)

Examines an expert teacher's thinking and teaching processes in order to link them to instructional-design procedures. Findings suggest that there were fundamental differences between the teacher's thinking and teaching processes and microinstructional design models. (Author/AEF)

One of a series of articles on principles of good practice in legal education, this article focuses on the importance of encouraging active learning. Considers why active learning is important, identifies barriers to active learning, and suggests some active learning methods in legal education, including Socratic dialog, discussion, writing,…

Uses a Steinerian perspective to examine recent trends in educational policy and practices in Great Britain. Discusses aspects of Steiner's approach that support children's development: reality, respect, rhythm, and morality. Maintains that the toy represents elements of early child development that are unique to that period and form the basis for…

Discusses the concept of a Virtual Company--a collaborative, distributed learning environment built on the notions of competence-based, constructivist, open learning, and distance education. It features an authentic, role-playing game that is strongly modeled upon the functional structures of real-life companies. Outlines the set-up of a Virtual…

Analyzes philosopher William James' writings on political representation and participatory democracy. Although he argued in favor of democratic principles, James also strongly supported the role of a well-educated elite serving as leaders. Attempts to reconcile these contradictory positions and considers James' influence on the development of…

Argues that, if higher education is serious about achieving sustained policy to support the arts, it must build consensus about the value of art, artists, and artistic freedom. Politically, more attention is given to tactics than to underlying philosophy. Trend data for National Endowment for the Arts funding and state arts funding in New England…

Maintains that Montessori educators should become "scientific pedagogues" who look upon their classrooms as ongoing educational experiments, and that their task is to match strategies, content, and emotional understanding to the children's developmental needs, interests, and culture. Describes components of successful research within the…

This article elaborates on three universal design for learning principles that guide the process of selecting materials and methods according to individual differences and minimize barriers: provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation; provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship; and provide multiple, flexible…