Parental coaching with homework of gifted children is considered. The coaching process involves planning, teaching, reflecting, and applying what has been learned to the next situation. The parent's role is described as providing the right environment for working, providing help when desired, and being nonjudgmental. (SW)

The majority of 40 parents of middle schoolers in an integrated curriculum believed their children enjoyed the learning experience and their family become more involved in learning. However, they did not seem to be very aware of the qualities of an integrated curriculum. (SK)

A survey of undergraduates (172 co-op, 216 non-co-op), graduate students (80 co-op, 153 non), and 233 work supervisors indicated that co-op and non-co-op students had similar experiences of mentoring. Recommendations were for more focus on the transformational aspect of mentoring and creation, development, and enhancement of relationships in…

Interviews with 18 people aged 100-106 revealed rich late-life learning experiences, knowledge acquisition, skill development, and behavior change. Most learning occurred through social interactions, some through media. Impediments included vision, hearing, mobility, and health problems. (SK)

In discussing what makes for a challenging and supportive learning environment, this paper uses the fiction of J. K. Rowling as a literary vehicle for considering the role of educators and contemplating ideal context for learning. This literature can be used as a guide for educators to try and design a general curriculum where students have a…

Claims that involving children in the process of gardening--selecting seeds and plants, planting, tending the garden, and harvesting the crop--helps them see the natural process of growing plants. Introduces container, square-foot, raised, and conventional gardens. Gives suggestions on what and when to plant as well as tips on gardening and…

Notes that guided participation is not a new instructional technique, and that "apprenticeship" best illustrates the concept. Cites as key how teachers create a context for active participation in socially constituted practices. Points out that accent is on relationships, not individuals, shifting attention to learning experiences with a…

Describes how storytelling can be used for reflective learning purposes. Explores the context in which storytelling occurs and identifies the characteristics that shape the process: setting, number of listeners, and type of story. Demonstrates how storytellers can mix these characteristics, which are translated into eight storytelling pathways,…

Three interviews each with five people who had articulated a life mission and analysis of their journals delineated the relationship of life mission to self-directed and transformative learning. New learning experiences refocus mission. The stronger and more focused the mission, the stronger and more focused the learner's self-direction. (SK)

The price of a university education has increased over the years. As a result, students often graduate with thousands of dollars of debt. Conducting research or developing class projects that require personal expenditures can be overwhelming, if not impossible. Participation in research and in developing projects can enhance a student's…

Teacher educators have argued for the use of case study as a pedagogical focus of teacher education. Yet, to understand the advantages and limitations of case study as curriculum, we need a clearer understanding of the nature of cases. What can we learn from looking at the use of cases in the education of other professionals? How can the learning…

Once in a while in a long teaching career, there appears, with a crooked smile and a mischievous glint in the eye, a living reminder of why you became a teacher. These are the children who teach you more than you teach them. And they live in your stories and in your heart long after the echoes of their laughter have faded from the classroom. It is…

Embarking upon a programme of distance study can be bewildering for students and the experience compounded by apprehension and uncertainties. Induction is a way of easing the transition and helping students to become effective distance learners so that they can progress successfully through their studies. The purpose of this research was to enable…

Informal learning refers to "science learning that occurs outside the traditional, formal schooling realm." Sites such as museums, zoos, aquariums, parks, science centers, planetariums, the school yard, and others all have the potential to shape young people's minds. Parents might see a day at the beach as a recreational opportunity while biology…

Currently, considerable difference exists between learning experiences for school administrators at the pre-service and in-service stages in their careers. Individuals aspiring to formal school leadership roles participate in learning experiences that are part of university-based administrator preparation programs. Those already serving in…