Examines whether training teachers to apply research-based commenting guidelines can help them write comments between composition drafts that result in effective revisions. While results are inconclusive, they do indicate that students of English as a Second Language respond to teacher comments between drafts and write revisions according to the…

Presents a case study of the effects of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) on two teachers in the same institution. The study investigates claims that the TOEFL exerts an undesirable influence on language teaching. Findings reveal that influences on what happens in class are more complex than unexamined beliefs about washback allow.…

Defines behaviors that fall under the rubric of second language (L2) learner strategies and classifies different types of verbal report, indicating areas where it has contributed to the understanding of L2 learner strategies. Focuses on problematic issues regarding the use of verbal reports and notes ways to refine verbal report methods. (62…

Describes the development of a distance education graduate course at Arizona State University; the course is text-based, supported by the Internet and computer conferencing. Discusses course planning and design factors, implementation strategies, technical considerations, students' evaluations, and instructor perspectives. (AEF)

Describes a service-learning program at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration that provides courses and community service activities related to homelessness and hunger. Reviews the program's three components: a course on housing and feeding the homeless, industry linkages, and a research and advocacy center. Presents student…

Compares second-grade children's judgments and ratings of punishment severity on children who broke neutral, sex-appropriate, or opposite-sex toys. Findings from 80 urban school children illustrate both the direct and the devious impact of gender stereotypes on children's social cognitive processes. (GR)

Describes a technique called compliment sandwich that enables students to evaluate their teachers. Explains that students write a letter to the teacher offering praise in the first and last paragraphs and include ideas for improvement in the middle paragraphs. Discusses lessons learned from this experience. (CMK)

Reports on the experience of using the Patchwork Text strategy in a modular course structure. The idea was to provide formative feedback for the students who traditionally complain that all the assessment occurs at the end of the module. A surprising side-effect was that students were clearly studying earlier in the module. (Author/AEF)

Presents the case that evaluation is an essential element of successful distance education programs. Uses a synthesis of the program evaluation and distance education research literature to form a framework for conducting evaluations of online programs. Evaluators should assess student performance, determine program and cost effectiveness, monitor…

Describes a flexible format for a literature unit which avoids the problems associated with a structure which is too rigid or allows too much latitude for students. Notes that the students produce some excellent thinking and writing. (MG)

Shares the attempts of one teacher to structure a program that allows students to learn and grow as a community of readers and writers through the use of a response-centered curriculum. (MG)

Discusses a study in which specific practices from current literature on adult higher education are applied to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to "map" usage of and receptivity to those practices and to assess adult student satisfaction. Illustrates an effective, data-rich method of assessing responsiveness to adult…

This article focuses on the variety of cultural meanings students articulate when asked about their experiences within the special context of a multiethnic California high school. The article presents excerpts from verbatim accounts in which four Black students, part of a three-year study, describe their worlds in their own words. (IAH)

Illustrates the utility of nonreactive measures with preschool children in a variety of contexts. Offers a rationale for using nonreactive and observational tests and interview measures. Discusses four types of nonreactive measures and their limitations. (Author/BB)

Discusses the ramifications of the recent emphasis on early childhood education. Argues that too much emphasis on formal instruction for young children imposes undue stress that may cause psychological problems. (FMW)