Examining how the researcher's personal experience shapes the research context was the object of this exploration into the parallel paths of the researcher and research subject. The subject, a preservice science teacher, was studied from her last year of an undergraduate teacher education program through her student teaching experience in an…

Research conducted at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) provided comparisons for 1990, 1993, and 1996 of undergraduate students' satisfaction and participation at college. The survey instrument used was the College Student Experiences Questionnaire, which included measures of the amount of progress perceived by students in 23 different…

This book is a guide to students on the nature and quality of teaching at colleges and universities. It discusses the need for students to take responsibility for their own learning at the college level and not depend on college professors to "teach" them everything they need to know. The book notes that most professors have had little or no…

School districts strongly influence the strategic choices that schools make to improve teaching and learning. Districts act as gatekeepers for federal and state policy by translating, interpreting, supporting, or blocking actions on their schools' behalf. The efforts of districts to build the capacity of students, teachers, and schools are often…

College academy in Massachusetts, a summer program for academically talented youngsters in grades four through eight was designed by parents of a bright child. The academy offers nontraditional, intellectually challenging courses that unite brains and hands (e.g., typing, cartooning), as well as courses such as mime and drama and computer…

Argues that principles of learning drawn from mainstream psychology are unlikely to be as helpful in understanding the learning which takes place in school or universities as are those which are drawn more directly from research on students which develops explanations directly from the learner's own school experiences. (Author/CM)

The authors describe a nonformal adult vocational education program developed in Rio Grande do Sul, a rural Brazilian state, which offers in-school vocational education as well as adult continuing education. Truck trailers with vocational equipment and trained personnel visit rural communities to provide learning experiences both in and out of the…

Reports on a service-learning seminar at Stanford University (California) for nine faculty and three administrators designed to stimulate faculty interest in connecting student public service to academic study and provide knowledge and resources for course design. Data are drawn from participants' seminar learning plans, assessments, and follow-up…

A college teacher altered her approach to evaluating students' progress in an American Indian literatures course by replacing written exams with oral exams. Students were given questions prior to the exam conference and were allowed one page of written notes. Suggests that written exams clash pedagogically with the literatures and cultures being…

In a survey of 517 8th- and 12th-grade students in Waterloo County (Ontario) schools, the majority of students who had attended outdoor and environmental education programs reported high levels of learning in key areas of ecology and environmental studies. In addition, most respondents reported feeling positive about the program and their…

Argues that children's perceptions of the natural world are linked with imagination development and experiential learning. Describes children's learning as sensory-oriented. Advocates fostering a love of nature, arguing that access to natural places and natural play activities both encourage a connection with the earth and contribute to children's…

Examines a cross-section of craft knowledge and research-based literature of science learning beyond the classroom. Describes informal science education programs, and discusses implications for science teaching, focusing on the importance of informal science learning for children and in-service and preservice teachers. Proposes a model for…

Examines the early childhood and primary learning environments and developmentally appropriate practices in light of the findings of brain research in the mid to late 1990s. Focuses on how the brain works, creating the optimal learning environment, developing classroom learning centers, and presenting meaningful learning experiences. Identifies…

Describes the introduction of the Patchwork Text format into the dissertation on a Master's degree in Social Work. Discusses the rationale for rethinking the conventional dissertation and the "patches" making up the revised dissertation format. Draws upon completed dissertations of two students on the program to illustrate how the characteristics…

Investigated diversity in the classroom, student background and learning experiences, and perceptions about the relationship between foreign language learning and issues of race, gender, class, and social justice among university students studying Spanish, Japanese, and Swahili. Found more racial diversity in Japanese and Swahili classes and in…