A critical incident is an unexpected event that occurs in the classroom. Teachers can uncover a new understanding of the teaching and learning process through reflecting on these critical incidents. This study explored the writing and discussion of critical incidents among six student teachers with their cooperating teachers in a practicum under…

Books designed for beginning readers typically intermix text with illustrations in close proximity. Prior research suggests this standard layout may reduce literacy skills due to increased attentional competition between text and illustrations. The current study extends this work by examining whether manipulations to the book layout can enhance…

This study describes the development of an observational tool, the Write Start! Writing Assessment, created to provide descriptive information on four features of preschoolers' writing: forms, directional patterns, intentionality (ways of assigning meaning to marks), and message content. Observational categories were generated from a review of…

We present the results of an in-depth qualitative study that examined ninth graders' conceptual and procedural knowledge of fractions as well as their approach to mathematics learning, in particular fraction learning. We traced individual differences, even extreme, in the way that students combine the two kinds of knowledge. We also provide…

While factors influencing maternal emotional availability (EA) have been well investigated, little is known about the development of child EA. The present longitudinal study investigated the role of frontal brain asymmetry in young children with regard to child EA (child responsiveness and involvement) in mother-child interaction in a sample of 28…

This research examines the characteristics of reader understandings that vary from those stated in the text. Eighty-seven fourth graders orally read complex academic literary and scientific texts, followed by probed retellings. Retold ideas not directly supported by, or reflective of, the texts were identified. These differing understandings…

The present study estimates the global validity of existing constructs and serves as the basis for the development of the "Self-Reported Study Habits for International Students (SR-SHI)" used to identify at-risk students in international programs. One-year classroom observations, recollection of study habits though interviews with high…

In teacher research, causal attributions of low achievement have been proven to be predictive of teachers' efforts to provide optimal learning contexts for all students. In most studies, however, attributions have been studied as a between-teacher variable rather than a within-teacher variable assuming that teachers' responses to low achievement…

Recent advancements in technology have enabled a shift to occur in teaching and learning. We are living in a connected world where physical boundaries of attending an institution to gain an education no longer apply. There are currently thousands of courses available online that do not require formal attendance. As such, this era of "open…

One of the challenges of traditional student learning, from an instructor's perspective, involves achieving an understanding of how students learn. Q-method is an effective approach to improve understanding of human subjectivity, and, as this research suggests, it is an appropriate tool to assist educators to better understand how students learn.…

Purpose: Adult human vocal tracts display considerable morphological variation across individuals, but the nature and extent of this variation has not been extensively studied for many vocal tract structures. There exists a need to analyze morphological variation and, even more basically, to develop a methodology for morphological analysis of the…

Mnemonics are strategies that can enhance learning and memory of course material. An online survey examined psychology students' metacognitive awareness and self-reported behaviors regarding mnemonics. Results showed that most participants could define mnemonics, but only a minority could describe the cognitive mechanisms involved.…

Previous research shows that children's ability to estimate numbers of items using their Approximate Number System (ANS) predicts later math ability. To more closely examine the predictive role of early ANS acuity on later abilities, we assessed the ANS acuity, math ability, and expressive vocabulary of preschoolers twice, six months apart. We…

This study investigated relationships among cortical thickness in the left-hemisphere reading network, and reading skill and experience in adult nonimpaired readers. Given the relationship between print exposure and reading, it is possible that print exposure is related to cortical structure. The pattern of correlations indicated that individuals…

The ability to read and comprehend texts is an essential component of successful functioning in our world. A substantial amount of information comes to us through written means, whether it is through regular print, Internet, or other media. Part of this information is for our enjoyment, part of it is vital for our basic functioning--application…