Describes a study of high school students that investigated students' responses to an anomaly generated by the juxtaposition of opposing explanatory frameworks and examined the nature and impact of cognitive conflict as students moved from prescientific to scientific explanatory frameworks concerning the concept of force. (19 references)…

Explains the concept of a computerized simulated student as a model of human learning and explores three areas of application: for teachers, for students, and for instructional designers during formative evaluation. Technical limitations, existing prototype systems, and possible future systems are discussed for each area. (Contains 85 references.)…

This paper describes techniques used to investigate cognitive gain by children interacting in a fossil display area of the Liverpool (England) Museum. Interviews and videotaped observations demonstrate learning by the 51 subjects (average age 8.7 years). Children spent more time with activities when an adult demonstrator was present. (SLD)

Illustrates how history can be taught through a problem-solving method. Encourages teachers to use critical thinking methods based on experience, helping students develop a systematic approach to thinking about historical problems. Stresses developing students' ability to evaluate historical sources allows teachers to direct a more interactive…

Discussed is why students have the tendency to apply an "add the numerators and add the denominators" approach to adding fractions. Suggested is providing examples exemplifying this intuitive approach from ratio, concentration, and distance problems to demonstrate under what conditions it is applicable in contrast to the addition algorithm. (MDH)

Increased use of cooperative learning methods is a visible change in mathematics education in the last decade. Research questions on cooperative learning concerning different models employed, their effectiveness compared to traditional methods of instruction, their effects on student achievement, and cognitive and affective benefits gained during…

The number of video examples of a concept and the dispersion of the examples were studied as variables affecting concept learning by 50 Dutch 12-year-old and 14-year-old secondary students. Although the number had no effect, broadly dispersed examples improved posttest classification ability. Implications for concept teaching are discussed. (SLD)

This paper reviews research relating child temperament (social, emotional, and attentional characteristics) to educational process and outcome for exceptional children with different diagnoses. The paper presents a model of temperament effects on educational outcome, mediated by effects on parents, peers, and teachers and by the child's academic…

Describes a study that investigated the feasibility of using computers to teach music notation systems to Chinese students, as well as to help Western educators study Chinese music and its number notation system. Topics discussed include students' learning sequences; HyperCard software; hypermedia and graphic hypertext indexing; and the…

Describes a survey of student teachers at the Institut Superieur Pedagogique, in Zaire, to determine their perceptions of indispensable teaching skills and effective means of acquiring them. Underscores the importance placed by students on internal reflection, mental preparation, the will to succeed, conscientiousness, intuition, and using a…

This study investigated whether Science Curriculum Improvement Study or more recent interpretations of the learning cycle could be used by teachers to engage students in social constructivist learning. Two researchers and six science teachers implemented instruction based on the reciprocal use of language and action. Changing beliefs and practices…

Identifies personal and contextual factors that make learning from experience for teachers difficult; argues the need to learn more about how teachers learn and what is needed to foster that learning in the school context, while lending insight into the complexity of teacher reflection and teacher learning in classroom environments. (GLR)

Describes a study of undergraduates in the Open University that used qualitative research methods to investigate how students learn with educational television. Results of observations, interviews, and test data are analyzed to determine which program features are important, and the methodology is contrasted with the one used in other studies of…

Provides college instructors with questioning strategies that encourage students' awareness of writing as decision making, and understanding of themselves as writers and as members of a broader writing community. Presents questions relating to topic selection, composition strategies, revision, critiques of other students' work, self-critiquing and…

Four naturalistic methods for assessing college student learning styles are discussed: direct observation of student behavior, in-depth interviews with students, analysis of self-directed learning projects, and analysis of the guiding metaphors used by students in describing the teaching-learning process. Each suggests ways teachers can adapt to…