Describes a system of contract grading in an introductory college composition which the author devised and has used for two years, in which all students sign a contract that delineates requirements for a course grade of "B." Discusses these requirements, how students can raise their grade, and student responses. Notes that a continued dialog about…

This study examined use of group-response technology (GRT) to gather responses of 26 students during instruction in a college course. Classroom observation data indicated no differences in engagement between those who used GRT and those using journals; however, GRT use provided the instructor with real-time data about student learning. (Author/CR)

Findings from a study investigating students' reactions to a hypermedia program used to analyze real-life interactions indicated that pragmatic awareness can be developed in virtual culture contact situations. Similar interactive software in combination with ethnographic activities may be more effective in culture teaching and learning.…

Outlines a lesson plan designed for an eleventh-grade U.S. history class in which the students learn about the Progressive Era by reading Stephen Crane's "Maggie: A Girl of the Streets." Explains that students analyze point of view, role play a talk show, write an essay, and complete a long-term research project. (CMK)

Presents five reviews of McLaren's 1997 book, with comments on critical pedagogy, multicultural education, capitalism, social justice, and remarks about student responses to "Revolutionary Multiculturalism." (SLD)

Adults cannot adequately prevent their children from observing media messages. Students are actually safer if they are educated about analyzing and assessing unsavory messages for themselves. Appropriate media-literacy pedagogy involves five essential elements: background, tools, deconstruction of media techniques, product evaluation, and original…

Reports on a study of undergraduates at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland) that was designed to explore computer support for peer-based learning in methodology tutorials. Describes software that was developed to organize group discussion and discusses student ratings of their reactions to the software and to the tutorial sessions. (Contains…

Describes what constituted literary understanding for one classroom interpretive community of first and second graders by analyzing their oral responses as picture storybooks were read aloud to them. Suggests that the impressive literary critical abilities of children as young as first and second grade are appropriately understood through a wide…

Describes a teacher's efforts to ascertain the level of challenge perceived by his eighth-grade students. Enumerates five starting point questions to ascertain student opinion: (1) adequacy of academic challenge; (2) appropriateness of homework quantity; (3) homework quality; (4) self rating of individual quality of effort; and (5) academic hopes…

Describes a psychology course that implemented a problem-solving approach to provide students with a hands-on experience of community psychology in a multicultural South Africa. Traces the students' reactions to the course from their initial enthusiasm and emergence of frustration to their eventual understanding of other cultures. (CMK)

Explores a study that quantifies preschool children's music learning preferences in teacher-intitiated environments by observing the children on video to determine their flow experiences where the challenge level and skill level are both high. Stresses that using flow to measure music experiences provides a means for teachers to evaluate student…

Describes an exercise that helps graduate students understand countertransference, a concept involving a therapist's conscious and unconscious reactions to clients and reflects the therapist's values, biases, and past experiences. Explains that the students write a paper discussing their interpersonal reactions in an interview designed as a…

Describes the Correlator, an interactive computer tutorial that helps students explore positive, zero, and negative correlation coefficients. Discusses studies that assessed whether the Correlator aided in student learning revealing that students completing the Correlator better understand correlation coefficients and enjoy the tutorial. (CMK)

Presents an art activity where the students create a mixed media painting by making a center area made of copper repousse and carrying the design in soft colored pencil and/or tempera paint to an outside mat creating a continuity of design. Discusses the process in detail. (CMK)

Describes an art lesson for sixth-grade students where they learn to use perspectives by drawing a cityscape. Explains that first the teacher demonstrates how to draw using perspective on the blackboard showing the ground line, horizon line, and vanishing point and then the students copy the example themselves. (CMK)