A discussion about the meaning of time that took place in a combined grade 3 and 4 classroom in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is described and analyzed. The paper begins by explaining how a failed classroom demonstration of a water clock resulted in an animated class discussion that led to the successful redesign of the clock. Next, recent work in…

This study was designed to demonstrate whether students attain a higher level of learning when they are required to synthesize information through a process of inquiry and believe they will be evaluated with essay questions. The control section of an introductory educational psychology class was taught about accommodating student differences,…

Five social studies programs at the fourth and sixth grade levels were examined to determine how much and what kind of reading comprehension instruction was provided in both the students' and teachers' editions of the texts. Programs studied were those published by Follett; Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich; Laidlaw; Macmillan; and Scott, Foresman.…

Using the resources in this curriculum guide, teachers will be able to develop highly individualized programs of studio experiences that will meet the needs of interested students at all levels of secondary education. The guide suggests that students have direct contact with the various forms, dimensions, and media of the visual and plastic arts.…

A follow-up study was conducted, using a sample of 10 teachers from two of five school districts that participated in an original project on wait time and classroom interaction. A workshop was conducted focusing on the elements of classroom discussions. In this workshop, transcripts containing short wait times were contrasted with ones with longer…

This research focused on students' learning of mathematical rules with reasoning. A small group of students (age 11-12 yrs) was observed closely by the first author as she taught them fraction rules. The area of focus was fractions and activities were designed pertaining to the four rules of fractions: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and…

Observation of teacher classroom performance can provide insights into the steps necessary to improve pedagogical practice. Data from over 13,000 field observations of Florida teachers over a 2-year period revealed parallel performance patterns across grade levels and years among 40 behavioral indicators. The study used the Florida Performance…

This curriculum is aimed at improving the oral communications skills of blue collar and lower management personnel as they interact in the workplace. It is intended to be workplace specific and to move the learner toward a full 12th-grade level attainment. Designed for use in a variety of settings and formats, the curriculum is divided into five…

This monograph is designed to acquaint classroom teachers with the language proficiency guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the oral testing guidelines of the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The guidelines are intended for language proficiency assessment by the oral interview technique. Designated…

A university consortium recently undertook a project designed to explore the use of technology in teaching high school biology as a means of engaging students actively in the scientific method, and in changing the role of the teacher from lecturer and conclusion drawer to initiator and facilitator. The study examined the degree to which teachers…

Factors affecting the return rate of a mailed questionnaire were investigated. A survey was mailed to 196 students who had dropped out of home study courses offered by a distance education university. The effects of personalizing the cover letter and of including anonymous pre-coded personal information on the questionnaire were studied in a 2 X 2…

An alternative teaching model has been proposed by the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P). The model uses a six-step approach (outlined in an appendix) which fosters an environment in which children can ask questions about a situation, offer explanations, carry out investigations, and report their findings. This paper reports on the…

Two booklets were developed by the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--to help teachers adopt an approach to primary science teaching which would enhance children's understanding of floating and sinking. Both booklets were designed to enable teachers to reconceptualize their teaching task from activity-driven, didactic teaching to…

Research studies on classroom questions and on learning models can provide information on how art criticism can be integrated into art education so that students are involved in exploratory experiences that tap higher levels of thinking. First, teachers need to be trained specifically in art criticism questioning formats in which there is an…

The effect of training in the Cognitive Interaction Analysis System on the way teachers interact with students was studied with 15 graduate students enrolled in a college teaching course. The students represented a variety of disciplines, including agriculture, science, liberal arts, and education. Enrollees were required to teach a typical…