Investigates the construction of understanding of the motion of an object down an inclined plane which takes place through the process of model building in an integrated algebra, trigonometry, and physics class. Discusses four major themes related to student learning through modeling that emerged from the results. Discusses implications for…

Considers the validity of applying common assessment instruments and scales to assess the language skills of Australian school-age language learners from different first-language backgrounds. Findings reveal a strong relationship between home exposure to the language and the level of performance on the listening and reading components of the…

Explores the effects of the attitudes and culture of Israeli-Jewish English-language students on their reading comprehension. Eighth-grade students read stories in Hebrew and English and answered questions both about the stories and their own attitudes. Reveals that culturally familiar texts boost reading comprehension scores. (MJP)

Examines the relationships of individual difference variables to end-of-training proficiency ratings in speaking and reading for a large sample of adults in intensive training in a wide range of languages at the U.S. Department of State. Variables included tested cognitive aptitude, learning strategies, learning styles, personality, motivation and…

Reports on a study of instructional strategies and beliefs among 18 middle-school U.S. history teachers and 60 middle-school students. Finds the most widely used strategies involve active learning, group projects, and student participation. Includes a table of the 10 most used strategies and 4 recommendations for instructional design. (CFR)

Explores how the body's biological clock affects the way musicians practice and perform. Delineates questions concerning this phenomenon. Discusses the implications for music teaching and focuses on areas for collaborative research between neurology researchers and music educators. (NL)

Discusses teaching information literacy in academic libraries and describes programs developed at California State University that considered new technologies; changing student characteristics, enrollment patterns, and skills; determining authenticity and quality of information sources, particularly on the Internet; curriculum development;…

States that making simple comparisons of test results between different schools, countries, or subjects can often produce misleading results. Illustrates the kinds of problems that can arise by investigating the results obtained by candidates from Egypt in Cambridge International Examinations' June 1998 International General Certificate of…

This article reports on a 3-year longitudinal case study of a school-based project designed to restructure and reculture the school's teaching and learning environment. Using a participatory action research framework, groups of teachers from the school worked together to develop a community of inquiry focusing on core teaching values, student…

This paper investigates the nature of the mismatch caused by culture-based differences in perceptions and expectations of L2 teaching and learning style preferences between Irish English teachers and Chinese students. A survey was conducted which included a questionnaire, interview and class observation at two language institutes in Dublin,…

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in English-speaking countries are not usually required to have proficiency in another language. Teacher competency statements frequently require "an understanding of second language development," and it is assumed that a monolingual teacher can attain such understanding without…

"Engaging Young Australians with Asia" is a national policy statement which supports "The Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century." These goals promote understanding of the value of cultural and linguistic diversity, and possessing the knowledge, skills and understanding to contribute…

This brief document offers ten principles of effective school design. They are: (1) Clear Focus and High Expectations for staff and students are defining features of an effective school; (2) A Rigorous Instructional Program provides equitable opportunities to learn and enables every student to master challenging content, skills, and learning…

Through surveys, interviews, observations, and field notes, I examined the beliefs and practices of six high school world history teachers regarding the use of digital primary sources and the potential added value of formal training in technology as a tool for instruction. Access to equipment (namely computer projectors and school computing…

These proceedings contain 11 refereed papers and 2 symposia in which researchers and practitioners share research findings focusing on the link between research and practice in adult, continuing, and community education. "Literacy Skill Standards for the Workplace" (Eunice N. Askov) summarizes efforts leading toward voluntary industry skill…