This review attempts to describe the current state of Educational Testing Service (ETS) activity in innovative instruction and assessment at the classroom level. Project reports are preceded by summaries of conclusions drawn from recent research and current issues under examination. Research now supports much that was previously hypothesized,…

To examine relationships between children's exposure to and use of new or rare words during preschool years and their later performance on vocabulary-related measures, this study explored frequencies of rare word use in different conversational settings. The study also tracked the use of rare words by mothers and children and related those results…

Authentic assessment is the process of gathering evidence and documenting student learning and growth in an authentic context. Authentic assessment can do a better job than more traditional forms of assessment in informing educators and parents about a student's real achievement. The first chapter of this book presents an overview of authentic…

This book applies the foundational elements of the model for teaching and learning called Dimensions of Learning (DoL) to administrative practice. It explores the process of observation for DoL in a comprehensive way. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the key structural elements and group processes that should be in evidence in a school system…

Given the current state of science education Cultural Historical theory appears promising in clarifying how students' social context advances the understanding of science concepts and shapes their attitude toward science. The purpose of the study was to focus on how children's development in science is assisted by both home and school interactions…

This paper discusses a study that explored the mental models of fifth (n=35) and sixth (n=49) graders attending two urban public elementary schools in South Korea in word problem solving. Two levels of mental models (problem model and mathematical model) constructed in the process of word problem solving were investigated. Coding categories for…

Educational reform in Norway has led to increasing decentralization and a redefinition of the role of the school principal. Action research is an approach enabling principals to clarify alternative actions, consider appropriate action, and become aware of the relationship between agency and structure. Systematic reflection is a tool for…

This study investigated whether differences exist between classrooms of expert and novice teachers on the cohesion, communication, and flexibility dimensions of the "Classroom Systems Observation Scale" (CSOS). Principals identified 10 expert and 10 novice elementary school teachers from 8 public and private schools. A 50-minute classroom…

This project dealt with the quality of the child's life in day care centers and aimed at a better understanding of the concept of quality. The project was based on a synthesis of knowledge from various research traditions, as well as theories of education and developmental psychology (such as Bruner, Davydov, Leontiev, Piaget, and Vygotsky). The…

This paper reports on a three-year case study of a secondary biology teacher that explores the use of two instruments: The Teachers Pedagogical Philosophy Interview (L. Richardson and P. Simmons, 1994) and the Secondary Science Teacher Analysis Matrix (J. Gallagher and J. Parker, 1995). The a priori research questions that guided this case study…

This paper describes collegial coaching as a means of providing general and special educators with the collaboration, materials exchange, and emotional support needed to teach all children in an inclusive setting. A brief review of the literature precedes a discussion of prerequisites for collegial coaching (such as self-confidence and respect for…

A study describes literacy development in 5 urban preschools. Classroom observations, transcripts of classroom interactions and participant interviews, and curricula materials and related documents constitute data sources for the evidentiary base. Naturalistic inquiry and case study contrasts indicated patterns of variation in the resources…

Three mathematics teachers and 10 of their ninth grade students were observed and interviewed during a 6-week period. One teacher claimed that her main challenge--implementing a student-centered curriculum--was her doubt that students would make the right connections without her explanations. Another teacher struggled with the dynamics of…

This report describes an experiment to provide an inservice program involving problem solving and inquiry, in line with the new Scottish National Guidelines in mathematics, that would have a lasting effect on teachers. The program featured two stages: (1) In the first year teachers were involved in a pair of workshops, were visited at their…

This document reports on a study evaluating the practices of identification and recruitment of migrant students. Guided by a 14-state advisory council, data were collected by ethnographic research of practice in migrant recruitment and focus-group studies of migrant families. The document consists of five sections each written by a different…