This digest presents an overview of ways that parents can encourage their child's learning in science. National and state standards for science knowledge and skills are discussed. The importance of parental guidance and encouragement in all subjects--science in particular--is also discussed. Suggestions are made for setting a good example, helping…

Cheating by students in academic assignments, especially term papers, cheating on tests, and altering or forging a university document are discussed. Efforts of the University of Maryland to crack down on cheating and to produce a workable code of student conduct are described. (MLW)

Describes a year-long collaboration to teach legal research and writing alongside civil procedure. In fall, civil procedure topics were used for writing assignments, in combination with simulation and demonstration exercises based on that case. In spring, students wrote briefs on motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment in a second case…

This study examined whether undergraduate athletic training educators wrote learning objectives that fostered critical thinking (CT) skills and whether their written assignments and examinations measured the extent to which students developed CT skills. Review of 64 usable syllabi indicated that educators fostered more CT in learning objectives…

Presents instructional materials and suggestions for using primary source documents regarding Admiral Peary's search for the North Pole. Cache notes were brief dispatches left for the press in ice hutches along with provisions and maps. Includes a photocopy of a cache note from Peary's expedition with suggested research topics and activities. (MJP)

Library Lab, used at Grinnel College (Iowa), is a one-on-one research tutorial that students use for specific assignments. Most sessions take from 1 to 4 hours for background research and 30 minutes to an hour for an interactive meeting. Library Lab gives the librarian time to prepare and provides students with uninterrupted service catered to…

Describes a multimedia math activity for sixth-grade students who have access to a computer lab. Students work in groups and interview an adult who uses math in his or her job. Then, they write an explanatory narrative describing how that adult uses math. Finally, they create a KidPix video slideshow with voice overlays to share with the class.…

A college history teacher describes a student research project on World War II involving archival newspaper research, interviews with older adults, and comparing perceptions of the individuals interviewed with news reports. Group decision making was involved, students benefitted from exposure to others' personal war experiences, and student…

Describes writing portfolios, a teaching method that enhances students' taking responsibility for their learning, facilitates developmentally appropriate assessment, and allows evaluation of writing development. Includes six student forms: "Self-Evaluation of Writing,""Self-Evaluation of the Writing Portfolio,""Identification of Topics,""Writing…

Describes an assignment designed to dispel prospective English teachers' dichotomous ideas about language ("right" or "wrong"); gain a sense that more than one dialect could be accepted; and understand that the variations from the handbook rules ("errors") might even be rhetorically based. (TB)

Describes the development of an elective module for final-year undergraduate primary school student teachers becoming specialists in science. Explains how the introduction of the Patchwork Text assignment format made it possible to exploit more fully the advantages of collaborative learning by students in small groups. (Author/AEF)

Presents an example of a complete Patchwork Text assignment assembled by a student during the module "Perspectives on Research and Knowledge in Professional Practice." The example illustrates the Patchwork format of a sequence of writing tasks produced at intervals during the course and ending with an attempt at a retrospective synthesis. (AEF)

Discusses concerns over the increase in computer-aided plagiarism among secondary and higher education students. Considers technological factors; cultural reasons and background, including time constraints; possible responses and deterrents, including clear policies regarding plagiarism and designing assignments that are more creative; and the…

Shares the attempts of one teacher to structure a program that allows students to learn and grow as a community of readers and writers through the use of a response-centered curriculum. (MG)