Examines reasons behind very low attendance of fathers at primary level family literacy events in Great Britain. Discusses rapid social and demographic changes, the sex- segregated power structure in education, the gendered nature of parental involvement in education, and the nature of family literacy events. Concludes that the environment of…

Discusses problems of learning English by students from Papua New Guinea, suggesting teachers restructure accepted assumptions about teaching and learning in English to more appropriately meet needs of students from different cultures. Argues many of these language problems are associated with lack of equivalence between concepts of academic…

Using memoirs from early- and mid-20th century rural teachers, the paper challenges assumptions that public education needs a new, more sophisticated foundation, describing the positive qualities of early rural schools and teachers and recommending the introduction of place-consciousness into teacher education so teachers can realize the power of…

Rather than decrying students' boredom and short attention span, principals should adjust schools accordingly. One's feelings about a learning situation determine the attention devoted to it. Secondary principals can help by keeping their schools violence-free, informing their teachers about emotional aspects of learning and teaching, working with…

New Haven (Connecticut) Public Schools realized that pushing students academically was useless without creating a positive school climate to address their social and emotional needs. James Comer's School Development Program is the district's guiding principle. Via planning and student-support teams, school community members decide on life-skills…

Examines the importance of the instructional systems design (ISD) model in designing the presentation and content of technology-based learning (TBL) environments, especially for adult learners. Describes TBLs and their use in university and adult learning and discusses the most common presentation methods: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation,…

Describes the Team Environmental Assessment Mapping System (TEAMS), a practical tool for inventorying the environmental demands that a student faces, while also mapping the social influences that drive or hinder a student's performance in those environments. A sample TEAMS map for an adolescent with Down syndrome is provided. (CR)

Investigates strategies elementary school children use to conceptualize materials in computer-based learning environments. Results show that 80% of the time students had attention focused on the learning material and gained an elevated level of awareness; the implication to instructional design is that courseware stimulates learning motivation if…

Explored relations between former Head Start parents' self-efficacy beliefs, beliefs about their children's academic abilities, affective state of depression, perceptions of school climate, and reported level of involvement in their children's education at end of kindergarten year. Parents' views of school climate and beliefs in their ability to…

Focuses on ways to foster and access creativity in engineering students. Presents three case studies that demonstrate the importance of establishing freedom in the learning process as well as providing motivation be it extrinsic or intrinsic. Describes how to monitor the level of success in fostering creativity in students. (Author/PVD)

Legislators, politicians, and business leaders should heed research demonstrating the effectiveness of smaller schools, which often have an enhanced learning ambience. Opportunities to participate and develop life skills are much greater in smaller schools. Small schools have fewer disruptions, promote belonging, and can enhance academic…

In two Texas elementary schools with similar student demographics but different school and district environments, teacher expectations about bilingual education students were influenced by differing bilingual education goals, beliefs about the value of student native language, teacher beliefs and district expectations about curriculum, and the use…

Surveys of 132 American Indian social workers, nurses, psychologists, and college students in those fields examined their experiences of professional education. Themes included extent of cultural content within professional training; types of support for indigenous identities; and struggles with stereotypes, institutional and faculty insensitivity…

Discusses how information technology is creating a new kind of learning environment. Highlights include: the changing demand for education; distance education; new engagement with industry; a "click-and-mortar" learning environment; a new teaching/learning paradigm; new institutional partnerships; new forms of developing and sharing…

Better physical conditions produce better student outcomes. Other factors affecting a school's physical environment and academic productivity include school structure, school size, teacher-pupil ratio, school location, grade-level configuration, and classroom size. Building or remodeling schools according to obsolete images is fiscally and…