In 2003-04, 11 Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) high schools moved from a traditional student schedule of six full-year courses to a block schedule of four courses each semester (4x4). Implementation went fairly smoothly, with 90% of teachers trained prior to the change. Academic course opportunities and course enrollment numbers increased…

This bulletin contains representative books and articles selected from the titles in the accompanying list. Books, pamphlets, etc., intended for inclusion in this record should be sent to the library of the Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. This bulletin contains the following: (1) Introductory notes; (2) Publications of associations; (3)…

Studies on education in other countries have long been a responsibility of the Office of Education. This present study is another contribution in the series. It is based on background information acquired by the author during 4 visits totaling 3 years of residence in Brazil, with a 1957 visit to obtain current first-hand data. The purpose of the…

During the past fifteen years, educators and electronics specialists have been experimenting with language facilities, usually by modifying equipment components which were originally designed for other purposes. The rapid growth, wide diversity, and newness of these electronic aids to language learning have created the need for a study of the most…

The title, "Making Connections: From the Classroom to the World Beyond", underscores one of the basic principles of language teaching echoed in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) "Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century". Teachers are constantly making connections in their…

Recommends a broad application of experiential learning and community service projects as a means of reinvigorating social studies and making them relevant. Describes a number of projects from service learning to local history that illustrate this approach. Discusses this approach in terms of benefits, real life application, and assessment. (MJP)

Studies videotapes of different band directors and their rehearsals to ascertain the various approaches and emphases of expert, novice, and student teachers. An analysis of frequency distributions for performance and rehearsal variables reveals that all three categories stress rhythm and tempo the most frequently. Includes further analysis of…

Maintains that any historical literature needs to be evaluated both as history and literature. Presents a review of recommended books for teaching about the Holocaust. Asserts that no single book can convey the full story and true horror of that historical period. (CFR)

Maintains that most history textbooks contain little information on the Holocaust. Asserts that short stories and poetry should be added to the nonfiction accounts to provide unique insights for students. Provides teaching suggestions and recommends two short stories and poetry selections on the topic. (CFR)

Using data from a national follow-up study of freshmen (n=24,837), a study investigated how different types of courses and instructional techniques affect college students' self-reported growth in critical thinking. Results revealed that taking writing, interdisciplinary, history, science, women's studies, math, foreign language, and ethnic…

Describes a third-grade instructional unit that begins with a basic introduction to African geography and culture. Children's books, from sources as diverse as current politics and Masai folk tales, are used to illustrate key concepts and places. Includes a list of children's books used in the lessons. (MJP)

In this article, the author talks about tutoring and learning. He first discusses the analytical and technical questions about the why, what, when, and how of tutoring. He begins by saying a little bit about why he is involved, interested, and fascinated by the very complex human activity people call tutoring. He argues that tutoring is an…

The mass media teach whether or not mediamakers intend to or realize it, and users learn from the media whether or not they try or are even aware of it. This means all of the media, including newspapers, magazines, movies, television, radio, and the new cyberspace media serve as informal yet omnipresent nonschool textbooks. This raises an…

This study compared interaction with a computer vs. observation as learning situations for low and high ability student's learning of spatial visualization and geometric transformations. Thirty-two fifth grade boys took the Differential Aptitude Test, Space Relations Subset (DAT), and then participated in the experiment. Pre-test and post-test…

During the 2001 summer holidays, the main Social Science classroom at St Ursula's College, a Catholic Secondary Girls' school of 740 pupils in Toowomba, Queensland was renovated. A mini-computer laboratory of four nests of computers was incorporated into the traditional teaching space. (See Diagram 1 and photograph). This room was named the…