A 14-year-old Brazilian boy in the fourth grade was given 170 problems orally, each asking for the sum of 2 2-digit numbers. Responses indicated he had invented his own algorithm for addition, similar to the school one, based largely on his experiences with money. (Contains 13 references.) (JAF)

Discusses an activity using lined paper and rulers to discover and prove the triangle proportionality theorem. (MKR)

Describes the learning-cycle inquiry model and applies it to a history lesson on the problems and conflicts leading to World War I. Describes how students tackle a teacher-created problematic situation by conceptualizing questions, constructing hypotheses, and reaching consensus on solutions; debate their proposed solutions with the class; and…

Describes a natural science course designed to teach students that nature is nearby rather than somewhere else. Students learn about local flora and fauna, track the weather, and closely monitor the progression of the seasons. The course uses no textbook, regularly uses the outdoors as a classroom, and follows the seasons' phenology as the…

Teaching must allow teachers to learn from students' learning. Anna Freud's approach emphasizes the psychoanalytical concept of transference. The paper describes the logic behind an undergraduate foundations of education course that examined whether study of the self studying education could create new conditions of learning and creating…

Discusses the thoughtful selection and organization of multi-use, multi-sensory items that hold their appeal as children grow, or that satisfy the interests of mixed-age groups. Suggestions include using real tools, pots and pans, and recycled food containers, as well as "wild" outdoor areas and learning or activity centers. (TJQ)

Recommends that middle school teachers try an inquiry approach in Earth science. Describes guiding the inquiry, formulating the problem statement, and establishing the rules for inquiry. (DDR)

Reviews psychological research on learning by doing, noting the role that learning-by-doing can play in education and training. Discusses how one University of Pittsburgh professor/researcher and his colleagues and students implemented this approach and describes lessons learned from the experience, explaining how improved forms of…

Describes a study performed in a microbial physiology course to increase students' self awareness of their misconceptions, promote sound research techniques, develop written and oral communication skills, stimulate metacognition, and improve team work and interpersonal relationship skills. (Contains 19 references.) (Author/YDS)

In this article, the author, who has an internet self-help radio program called "Maximizing Life with Scott Chesney" on VoiceAmerica, describes the joys and healing his children brings him daily since his diagnosis with Foix-Alajouanine Syndrome. He realized that, after a tour of 15 countries researching alternative medicine and speaking and…

There have been few attempts to introduce frameworks that can help support tutors evaluate educational games and simulations that can be most effective in their particular learning context and subject area. The lack of a dedicated framework has produced a significant impediment for the uptake of games and simulations particularly in formal…

Explaining new ideas to oneself can promote transfer, but how and when such self-explanation is effective is unclear. This study evaluated whether self-explanation leads to lasting improvements in transfer success and whether it is more effective in combination with direct instruction or invention. Third- through fifth-grade children (ages 8-11;…

We identify literature that argues the process of creating knowledge-based system is often imbalanced. In most knowledge-based systems, development is often technology-driven instead of requirement-driven. Therefore, we argue designers must recognize that evaluation is a critical link in the application of requirement-driven development models…

A generic teaching format in which students actively participate in a whole-class collaborative-learning experience is described. The entire class, divided into groups, made a joint effort to overcome a hypothetical outbreak of a new plant disease. High scores on an examination question concerning the project indicated successful assimilation of…

This paper provides a brief history of the work of Maria Montessori and traces the development of the Montessori method in English education. The first woman medical student in Italy, she developed an interest in the needs of mentally handicapped children. Contrary to the accepted view, she came to the conclusion that mentally 'deficient' children…