A system for grading student work based on contracts is examined. Types of contracts, methods for controlling quality as well as quantity of work, advantages of the contract grading system, and the results of research into the use of grade contracts--including student reaction to the system--are some of the topics discussed. (JMP)

Discussion of the theory-practice gap focuses on a course for education students that integrates instruction on conducting both theoretical and practical research. The dual approach illustrates the value of theoretical research to students' practice as teachers. Highlights include a literature review, course objectives and assignments, course…

Provides a model unit of study for the use of legal cases in writing courses. Shares reasons for the success of this approach. (TB)

Discusses a study conducted at Kent State University's (Ohio) regional campuses that measured the basic library competencies of incoming college freshmen. Results show that the frequency of student assignments was the best predictor of scores on the test measuring library skills. Implications for bibliographic instruction are discussed. (LRW)

Discussion of the curriculum for library and information studies focuses on courses at the Queensland University of Technology (Australia) dealing with information organization. Highlights include subject design and implementation; unit objectives; instructional design; course content; student assignments; and reactions from the professional…

Provides language arts teachers with specific techniques to help content-area teachers get more writing into their classrooms. Suggests that some of these techniques might be helpful to language arts teachers themselves, especially in getting students to think about learning. (TB)

Explains how an English teacher settled into an unproductive, formulaic approach to teaching writing and how he reformed himself and his teaching through a discovery of the processes involved in writing. Describes exercises and notebooks that furthered his new "process" approach to teaching writing. (TB)

Discusses distance education programs in higher education and describes the Eastern Mediterranean University (Cyprus) Learning Management System which was developed while the online program was offered to on-campus students. Explains functions of the system, including user enrollment, course management, lectures, quizzes, announcements,…

Describes DocML, a Web-based digital library of university data that is used to build a system capable of preserving and managing student assignments. Topics include requirements for a digital library of university data; metadata and XML; three-tier architecture; user interface; searching; browsing; content delivery; and administrative issues.…

Uses Project Censored to open a dialog about important issues that have not received media attention, to reflect on the sociological reasons why we are not learning about these stories, and to develop strategies to address these issues. Students met these objectives by writing a report and giving an oral presentation. (DAJ)

Analyzes the evaluation of student feedback to a tutor in the Open University (Great Britain). Discusses tutor effectiveness in supporting individual students; group tutorials; self-help and mutual support by students; formative feedback on written assignments; participatory evaluation; and power relations, including "pseudoempowerment."…

Details the results of allowing student choice in reading and writing. Contends that introducing choice late in a student's schooling complicates that student's ability to reap the full benefits of autonomy. Concludes that choice as a key component of teaching reading and writing is problematic in a traditional setting filled with prescriptive…

Examines whether introductory educational psychology undergraduate students (n=83) read assigned articles if they knew in advance about a quiz or whether they read the articles because they were beneficial to their profession or to class discussion. Finds that students read articles more thoroughly if they knew there would be a quiz. (CMK)

Discusses examples of classroom practice using a writing assignment generated from computer application articles published in the accounting literature. Notes that students are exposed to ideas and techniques actually used in practice and to practice evaluation and critical thinking skills and have the opportunity to write in response to the…

Notes that not having anything to say is a major hurdle in the writing process at the middle school level. Describes two common classroom experiences, based on the software programs "GeoWorld" and "Food for Thought," that enable all students to acquire and share information together. (RS)