This book is addressed to high school principals, teachers, curriculum specialists, counselors, and other educators interested in creating sound change at the building level. The theme of constructivism and constructivist thought pervades the text. Part 1 introduces the reader to constructivism and offers comparisons of a high school based on…

Changes in assessment practices are central to ongoing reform efforts in science and mathematics education. The education community is currently focused on new ways to measure, evaluate, and report students' progress toward standards and learning goals. The focus of this publication, using assessment for informing and improving instruction is not…

A preliminary study examined a project proposal to develop a Communication Skills Resource Center at St. Louis Community College at Meramec. The center would serve to help any students enrolled at Meramec to improve their oral communication skills. Currently there is no academic support service specially designed for students experiencing…

This study examined the influential factors toward conceptual changes in in-service teachers as they engaged in a summer professional development program. The program curricula attempted to challenge teachers over weaknesses in their pedagogical instruction, provide feasible teaching approaches, and cultivate their strengths and interests through…

This simulation allows students to pretend to go to a one-room schoolhouse in the last half of the 19th century. Students work to earn points in order to graduate from Apple Valley School. A sense of history is developed as students learn about a "school of long ago" and compare it to today's schools. Role play, writing activities, and critical…

This simulation allows students to experience how their ancestors felt when they decided to emigrate to this country. The basic activity is a core simulation in which students role-play either an immigrant or an immigration processor at Ellis Island in 1900. The amount of time available determines additional enhancement options offered in the…

This compilation of resource materials includes ERIC Digests, worksheets and short articles. The eight chapters cover: (1) "Readiness/Kindergarten"; (2) "Multiyear Education"; (3) " Extra Learning Time"; (4) "Teaching Across the Curriculum"; (5) " Learning and Understanding"; (6) "Behavior and…

A study was conducted to determine which approach for vocabulary development--isolated word lists, context clues, or a combination of both--would yield the best results. One sample of 17 sophomores used isolated word lists. The second sample of 20 freshmen used context clues to determine word meaning. The third sample of 13 sophomores used a…

This book contains 50 hands-on activities representing most subjects taught at the secondary school level in the Caribbean. It lists the order of activities by chapter and name of each activity in the general table of contents. The first chapter, Investigating and Organizing Ideas, presents six activities and discusses semantic mapping, mind maps,…

In a recent survey of 200 college freshmen, 97% said they learn best by listening. Electronics and technology are excellent instructional supplements, but when they become the means of instruction, the instructors lose heart in relationship listening. Research indicates that "perceived caring" on the part of the students in regard to the…

Many cooperative learning programs are merely exhibitions of the willingness to work with others. They apply teams of people to do work that could be accomplished just as well by individuals. Successful programs focus on collaborative learning that fosters working together to solve problems beyond the capacity of any individual. A cooperative…

The National Staff Development Committee of the Vocational Education and Training Sector in Australia is promoting action learning as a preferred professional development strategy to support the implementation of key competencies. Action learning was piloted across five training areas within the Department of Employment, Training, and Further…

The purpose of this paper is to provide a wide range of examples of writing across the curriculum (WAC) activities in order to encourage teachers to use writing in their classes regularly as a way of stimulating critical thinking in their students and providing variety in their teaching methods. The paper is presented in three sections. The first…

Teachers can help their young students build a strong foundation for multicultural understanding by introducing them to stories from many cultures and teaching them to use the cognitive strategies that enable them to comprehend and experience cultures different from their own. Multicultural literature can become a powerful tool that illustrates…

This book is a comprehensive guide to learning and memory strategies for all students and especially those with learning problems. Chapter 1, on memory and the brain, explains brain cells, the cortex, function of the cerebral lobes, and other brain structures. Chapter 2 examines the memory process and discusses sensory memory, short-term memory,…