Describes an experimental hypothesis-testing model of structural analysis designed to identify critical contextual variables associated with successful social interaction. Suggestions for general education settings are provided, with an emphasis on matching inclusive social environments to individual student antecedent variables. Strengths and…

Describes the Praxis III assessment, an observation-based system for assessing the skills of beginning teachers that emphasizes teacher decision-making and the importance of student, school, and curricular context. The principles and processes of the assessment's design and construction are described, and issues in teacher performance-assessment…

The Applications in Biology/Chemistry (ABC) curriculum is a real-world approach designed for the middle 50% of secondary students who may not learn in a predominantly abstract way. Stressing contextual and cooperative learning, ABC features 10 laboratory exercises and other hands-on, problem-solving activities involving visits to job sites and…

Examines the relative importance of teaching and scholarship in academia. The article scrutinizes the reasons for requiring academics to combine research and teaching and argues that scholarship and teaching are inextricable parts of the larger process of learning. The article concludes that good teaching must accompany the constant quest for the…

Reviews 1980-95 empirical literature on the relationship between the principal's role and school effectiveness. Examines conceptual underpinnings of several theoretical models to study the role, the relationship between models and investigation methods, and the nature of principals' influence. Principal leadership and school goals indirectly…

A pilot study of laboratory data logging in three secondary schools found that when computers were used students spent less time measuring, recording, and reporting data and more time observing and discussing. Qualitative changes, however, were much more context dependent. Contextual factors were computer skill, physical nature of the topic under…

Observed the effects of dramatic play center variations on children's social and cognitive play behaviors. Found that solitary-designed centers facilitated more solitary play than group-designed centers; dramatic play increased in the intervention and follow-up housekeeping centers compared to the baseline housekeeping center; and thematic centers…

Examines the influence of situational prototypes on 3 dimensions of the intercultural communication competence of 1,002 American college students facing aspects of Japanese culture in 2 experiments and 44 scenarios. Overall, there were significant differences for each of the three measures of intercultural communication competence across the four…

Uses data from American, British, and Chinese mentor teachers to explore the relationship between mentoring contexts and mentoring practice. Three instructional contexts shaped differences across programs and countries: structure of school curriculum and assessment, organization of teaching and mentoring, and student population. Mentors'…

Argues that there is not a field (as a totality) of educational administration; rather there are many fields. Suggests abandoning privilege based on scientific sanctuary, and instead examining leadership issues subjectively and within context. (Contains 100 references.) (NB)

Calls for a process-oriented approach to study of categorization in infancy. Maintains that further understanding of infant categorization and its changes with development requires a more direct assessment of infants' category formation. Argues that two research directions will enhance understanding of categorization: (1) contextual variations on…

Several concepts from the adult learning literature are described that relate to working with parents of young children who are deaf. Three areas are discussed: the context for adult learning; learning related to transitions in the adult life cycle; and transformative learning. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Wilson (1987) and others argue that poor neighborhoods lack important organizational resources the middle class takes for granted, such as childcare centers, grocery stores and pharmacies. However, this approach does not distinguish poor neighborhoods from segregated neighborhoods, ignores immigration and neglects city differences. Using…

Teacher ratings of 336 preschool children (mean age = 48 months) attending two urban Head Start programs were collected to examine the influence of contextual variables of teacher training, classroom, and site on the prevalence of significant problems. The prevalence of externalizing behaviors in the "problem range" was higher than expected and…

The evaluation of solutions is a major unresolved issue for all those involved in e-learning. In this paper we illustrate the importance of context by means of a qualitative comparison of two e-learning prototype implementations--an action research case undertaken in conjunction with a major German insurance company; and a more experimental…