The time and effort spent during the first days of a new semester are key to the success of the class that lies ahead. What happens during these first days can set a tone that inspires students to work actively and cooperatively to achieve success in the new semester, or to sit back and assume a "here we go again" attitude. In this article, the…

The research on the effects of class size is summarized in this review. It includes (1) an introductory examination of class size definitions, statistics, and research design; (2) a summary of the research on class size, including the effects of class size on student achievement for grades K-8 and 9-12 and on the classroom environment; (3) teacher…

The purpose of this paper is to present select findings from a case study of a single suburban middle school. The purpose of the investigation was to explore and describe teachers' and students' perceptions of the caring leadership practices that seventh grade teachers used in their classrooms and the differences between those perceptions. The…

This report summarizes the 2006-2007 evaluation that was focused toward investigating one primary question: What changes in tool-based, student-centered teaching happen as a result of the infusion of technology and professional development? The research methodology involved the use of trained external researchers from Florida EETT schools…

The purpose of this action research project is to improve student social skills through the use of cooperative learning, in order to develop a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning. The action research project will involve approximately 95 students, 95 parents, and 200 teachers. It is the intent of the teacher researchers to…

A driving force in standards-based educational reform was the 1983 release of "A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform" (National Commission of Excellence in Education [NCEE], 1983). The report called for "an end to the minimum competency testing movement and the beginning of a high-stakes testing movement that would raise the…

This exploratory study examined the contribution of the "RC" Approach over a two-year period. The "RC" Approach integrates social and academic learning in order to produce classroom environments that are conducive to learning by integrating social and academic learning. Two questions are addressed. First, how does teachers' use of "RC" practices…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences among schools using student responses in the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study-1999 (TIMSS-99) data. Schools were classified into two groups based on eighth grade students' overall achievement in science. Two different discriminant function analyses were performed to distinguish…

This article explores the implementation of critical pedagogic practices into a graduate level landscape seminar Web site. Critical pedagogy seeks to reconfigure student-teacher relationships and disrupt embedded power regimes within academia and society. Critical pedagogic practices create a dialogue amongst learners, where everyone has a stake…

Issue 1 and 2 is a special issue devoted to the cultural-historical school of thought about mental development based on the work of Lev Vygotsky. The four articles that discuss a cross section of issues from the Vygotskyan Paradigm are as follows: "Mind as a Cultural Achievement: Implications for IQ Testing" (Michael Cole); "Children's Social…

A study examined what kinds of books middle schoolers will read when given the freedom to choose. Subjects were 55 children of middle-class parents enrolled in 2 sections of eighth-grade English at a university laboratory school. Of the original population of 55 students, 7 elected not to have data from their reading included, and records were not…

A case study of a student teacher shows that even under conditions of perceived and/or real constraints on their autonomy, teachers retain great power to shape enacted curriculum (defined as the outcome of interactions among teachers, students, and materials). A student teacher (Ken) was assigned to teach 12th-grade U.S. history in a New York City…

This paper reports on the development and validation of the Assessment Profile: Research Version, an observation checklist containing 87 items that reflect developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood programs. The Assessment Profile provides quantitative measures of classroom environments and teaching practices which facilitate the…

This paper presents a case study of how social order was created through teacher-student interactions in a single sixth-grade classroom, based on videotaped classroom observations, interviews, and student questionnaires. The paper describes the classroom teacher's teaching methods, use of required texts, and use of standardized tests, especially…

This guide explores using Total Quality Management/Developmental System Education (TQM/DSE) as a framework to improve educational outcomes in the classroom. Within the Total Quality paradigm, students and society are viewed as the customers of education; all programs provided at the school focus on meeting customer needs, resulting in improved…