This study utilized elements of technology-rich ethnography to create a rich description of a multi-user virtual environment in a high school computer programming class. Of particular interest was the transition that took place in classroom culture from one characterized by a well-defined problem solving approach to one more indicative of open…

During the last 3 years we have made many visits to two rural Mexican primary schools. As a result of our experiences there, we believe that students' sense of responsibility in a school setting depends on the nature of the commitments they make and the work they do in and for the school. We have also learned that certain educational and social…

Service learning adds instructional value to any curriculum area, and it is especially appropriate for education courses. Its benefits include development of critical thinking, deeper processing of course content, and practical related experience. Using action research, this article examines the impact of service learning on preservice teachers'…

We examined third graders' understandings of condensation using an expanded notion of the Emergent Perspective, a reflexive consideration of individual and group meaning-making situated in the culture of the classroom. Data were collected from two small groups of students in an inquiry-based, urban classroom during a unit on the water cycle.…

In this study, the authors explored differences in perceptions of skill development and the value of face-to-face interaction between students taking a business communication course offered online and in the traditional, on-campus classroom environment. They hypothesized that there would be no statistically significant difference in face-to-face…

The relationship between group and individual has been explored within the variationist paradigm. In L1, group patterns of variation are replicated by the individual. Second language acquisition research is concerned with the individual learner, but second language acquisition variationist researchers tend to group learners. Little empirical…

As every early childhood teacher knows, providing children with activity and material choices, stimulating multi-sensory activities, and positive support and novel challenges can truly inspire children's love of learning. Now there is the additional support of brain research. Marian Diamonds of the University of California at Berkeley reports that…

Psychologists and educators have often conceptualized motivation as an individual difference variable, something that some students simply have more of than other students. This view of motivation can underestimate contextual influences. In this article we consider how characteristics of the school and classroom may influence student motivation,…

This article is a response to S. Elizabeth Bird and Jonathan P. Godwin's article "Film in the Undergraduate Anthropology Classroom: Applying Audience Response Research in Pedagogical Practice." The intention of my response is to expand the dialogue on film use to promote cultural understanding in university classes and campus-wide. Through…

With this study, the authors investigated, in an open-ended manner, what elementary teachers and their students said about social studies. They endeavored to see if prior findings still persist and studied the potential relationships between students' and teachers' perceptions. They conducted their research in three different school districts in…

Research studies have shown that effective classroom management is a necessary condition for successful ICT integration in schools. Drawing upon the classroom management practices of teachers in a Singapore primary school, this article describes how the elements of classroom management facilitate the creation of a conducive learning environment to…

Describes some alternative conceptions of middle-level student achievement based on case studies profiling new literacies in U.S. and Canadian classrooms. Identifies characteristics of fluency in multiple forms of representation, critical thinking and talking about student work, adaptability of individual and collaborative activities, and high…

In our graduate programs in early childhood education, we model constructivist practice in the belief that teachers are better able to understand and implement constructivist principles having experienced them in their work. In this practice we attempt to be explicit about constructivist practice in our program and in elementary classrooms. As we…

Photovoice is an educational action research tool that embraces visual communication through photography and allows for individualization. In this article, the author describes how a visual teaching method known as photovoice led to improved engagement with peers and learning materials for two young boys with autism. The author also describes how…

This article discusses the relationship between teachers, classroom controversy and the media. It also features the story of Ayesha, who coincidentally is one of the authors of this article. Ayesha's story is a social studies teacher's bad dream featuring one of her worst fears: (1) public criticism; and (2) controversy over something that has…