According to 1995 National Science Education Standards, "inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences is the central strategy for teaching science." Effective classroom questions promote relevance, encourage ownership, help students interpret their observations, and link new learning to what students already know. Two…

Discusses methods for enhancing student motivation, particularly in information literacy courses in higher education. Topics include Keller's ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction). motivation model; course design; teaching behaviors; teacher enthusiasm; clarity in presenting materials; interaction; active engagement; cooperative…

Focuses on a yearlong project designed to strengthen teachers' and students' understanding of plants, equip teachers with inquiry-based teaching techniques, and create a community of learners. (DDR)

Presents a question designed to launch a discovery journey through conjecture, research, serendipitous encounters, proof, answers, and new questions. Reports some discoveries and suggests ways in which to incorporate this strategy into classrooms. Presents a geometry project that incorporates this problem-solving approach to mathematics. (JRH)

Describes a needs assessment project that included the development and implementation of two distinctive features to aid in performance improvement: a pre-assessment planning process to educate clients about the analysis process and establish an outcomes-oriented strategic focus; and a theory-to-practice process to analyze team performance issues…

Describes a study that examined fifth-grade Finnish pupils' problem-solving processes in a LEGO/Logo technology-based learning environment. Results indicate that learning model and gender account for group differences in problem solving processes, and are interpreted as supporting the validity of discovery learning. (Author/LRW)

Ideas are offered for in-depth projects that foster individual creativity and production in elementary and middle school gifted students. The projects cover various topics in the areas of charting, essay writing and theme writing, journalism, graphing, politics, speech, government, biography, history, state history, investigation, and industry.…

Describes children's software programs that allow for a great deal of choice and control by children. Programs were selected on the basis of their design, child orientation, and ability to amuse. (RJC)

Advocates using an end-user approach to microcomputers in production/operations management. This approach requires the student to design and create spreadsheet models to solve problems, enhancing subject area knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving and computer skills. (SK)

Educators must understand two opposing traditions in education, the mimetic and the transformative. Whereas traditional lesson structuring stresses concept introduction, constructivism emphasizes exploration. To constructivists, teachers strike the delicate balance between teaching for fact and skill acquisition and teaching for independent and…

This article considers the synergistic force, specifically imagination, which can serve as the catalyst for motivation and learning. The importance of classroom climate in fostering imagination and developing growth, discovery, and vision is emphasized. Ways to make imagination an important element of classroom climate are listed. (JDD)

Relates a kindergarten teacher's classroom experience where play is not considered a primary medium for learning. Describes a strategy used to establish play, specifically investigative play, as a legitimate activity in the classroom. Discusses issues associated with play-based curriculum and how, with the renewed interest in science education, it…

Discusses how two small children learned important lessons by being allowed to make their own decisions and think their way through situations rather than being told by adults how to handle those situations. The article highlights the importance of discovery learning and the development of self-confidence. (SM)

Originally written near the beginning of the "new math" movement, this article reflects on the role of student discovery, intuition, mathematics as an analytic language, and the problem of student readiness. (MKR)