This publication includes presentations made at the Aikin-Stinnett Lecture Series and follow-up papers sponsored by the Instructional Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University. The papers in this collection focus upon the basic assumptions and conceptual bases of teacher education and the use of research in providing a foundation for…

Presented is a detailed plan of action directed toward the Nation's achieving world educational leadership (as measured by student achievement, participation levels, and other non-subjective criteria) in mathematics, science, and technology in elementary/secondary schools by the year 1995. Sweeping and drastic changes are proposed in the breadth…

This instructor's guide is designed to be used in a seminar to explore the personal aptitude and skills required in entrepreneurship and to provide general and specific information about recognizing and overcoming the problems associated with beginning a new business. Addressed in the individual chapters are the following topics: the scope of…

This unit, one in a series of packets of teacher and student materials for cooperative occupational education (COE) designed for special needs students, acquaints students with the rationale for laws and the basics of our legal system. It explains the process one goes through if arrested, and how and when to get legal assistance. The instructor…

To examine how classroom conditions such as students' mean aptitude, materials used, and instructional time influence the amount of reading material covered, 12 first grade classrooms were each observed for 12 days over a 36-week period. Students' reading readiness and word recognition skills were tested prior to observation while group mean…

Children responded enthusiastically to a program that used Shoshoni poetry songs to teach some concepts about human languages in general. Twelve children (four Caucasian, eight Native American) in grades 1-3 and their parents met for four 1-hour sessions. The lessons focused on the sound, meaning, and word order of the Shoshoni language; Shoshoni…

In the action-research phase of the Learning in Science Project, four groups of people worked on problems identified in the project's second (in-depth) phase. The Physics action-research group considered problems related to the teaching and learning of ideas associated with force and motion, suggesting that children's ideas of these concepts might…

Arranged in four sections, the book offers practical techniques for introducing environmental education at the primary level. The first section, on planning, outlines a conceptual framework for environmental education, describes how the staff at one primary school developed a K-7 curriculum, examines an in-service course on environmental science…

In this six part handbook, secondary school teachers and students are provided with information and concepts needed to analyze the energy situation from an economic perspective. Part 1 begins with an economic analysis of the U.S. energy situation. It includes charts, graphs, and readings on energy use before 1970, consequences of oil supply…

This handbook is intended for use by South Carolina vocational educators who are responsible for teaching special needs students who have been integrated into the regular vocational classes. It begins with a discussion of state standards and federal regulations dealing with handicapped and disadvantaged students. Material is then presented on…

Project CAPABLE (Classroom Action Program: Aim: Basic Learning Effectiveness) is a classroom approach which integrates the basic learning skills with content. The goal of the project is to use basic learning skills to enhance the learning of content and at the same time use the content to teach basic learning skills. This manual illustrates how…

Highlights from a survey of educational practices of personal finance teachers and resource materials for emerging topics are provided. Of the 6,100 secondary teachers in the United States and Canada who received questionnaires, 1,400 responded. With over 30 states having personal finance or consumer economics guidelines, personal finance courses…

There is general agreement that the current teaching of secondary science is not as good as it should be. Different critics identify different weaknesses, but there is agreement that students are not learning how scientists make knowledge claims and use this knowledge. This paper assumes that one powerful influence on the development of teachers…

This study addressed whether the educational impact of a zoo visit can be enhanced through the provision of appropriate instructional supports such as preparatory trainings or orientations. One important function of the educational process, in contrast to providing direct information or skill development, is to make the learner more sensitive to…

This study examined teachers' content knowledge about the nature of science and how this knowledge was expressed in their classrooms. Understandings about science influence not only explicit lessons about the nature of science, but also shape an implicit curriculum concerning scientific knowledge. Consideration was also given to ways in which…