Language laboratory effectiveness in secondary schools and related research are discussed. Criteria for five elements determining the laboratory's effectiveness are described: (1) the teacher, (2) the teaching materials, (3) the testing and grading programs, (4) the student practice sessions, and (5) the equipment. Some general remarks are made…

This report summarizes the dialogues and debates of 27 secondary school principals who discussed at length the emerging problems of providing a pertinent education for young people. Among the topics discussed are a description of a relevant curriculum according to students and teachers; the teachers' roles in student teacher relationships; effects…

This study was made to (1) compare Michigan middle schools with junior high schools on the basis of selected ongoing programs and practices, and (2) determine if the two organizations differed in any way. Proportional stratified sampling provided a selection of 138 junior high schools that could be compared with the 138 middle schools in the…

A comparison is drawn between norm-referenced (or competitive) and criterion-referenced testing procedures as used for the purpose of assessing and grading knowledge gained from teaching. It is argued that competitive or norm-referenced grading practices are sadistic, unethical, statistically unsound, and irrelevant to course objectives.…

This speech addresses the basic but widespread weakness of many efforts in the improvement of college instruction which is believed to be the absence of adequate attention to the theoretical and research foundations of learning and teaching. Some of the current research deals directly with the accountability issue (e.g., criterion-referenced…

This article presents 10 practical teaching procedures to encourage students to develop formal reasoning skills. A twelfth-grade English course is used as an example. Procedures include pretesting, sequencing instruction, providing students with concrete experiences, discussing reasoning patterns and forms of argumentation, assigning argumentative…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of analytic corrections and revisions on college composition students working in a portfolio assessment setting. Subjects were 19 community college students enrolled in a transfer-level class in composition. Three of these students were from the English as a Second Language/immigrant/refugee…

This book offers strategies for high school teachers that provide tools for creating, repairing, and tweaking all the discernible components of teaching. The book is organized to move from context to teaching to discipline to thriving in teaching. The book includes tips on how to minimize discipline problems with effective curriculum and sound…

This book focuses on basic strategies you can integrate into everyday instruction in every subject area and across grade levels. It shows teachers how to motivate and engage students. The practical examples in this book make it easy for you to apply these strategies in your own classroom. It presents lively stories about how teachers help their…

Provided is a list of educational software arranged alphabetically by manufacturer. Entries include name, system requirements, current cost, and a brief description. A wide variety of subject areas, educational levels, and formats (drill/practice, games, tutorials, and others) are included. (JN)

Examined some of the factors which influence college students' evaluations of their instructors. Found that a student's relationship with the instructor was the best predictor of the student's evaluation of the instructor. Also lends partial support to the idea that students evaluate male and female instructors differently. (PD)

Techniques for successful team teaching, drawn from an informal survey of Middlesex Community College (Massachusetts) instructors with team teaching experience, are outlined. Issues addressed include techniques for beginning class, taking attendance, seating, forms of address, passing out material, grading assignments, working together in the…

Analyzes one teacher's attempts to implement innovative assessment practices and a meaningful science curriculum that encouraged learning, in the face of traditional assessment expectations. Focuses on three dilemmas: maintaining student accountability in cooperative learning situations, evaluating lower-ability students on fixed standards while…

Presents the story of one beginning teacher educator's struggles with grading. She used participant observation and action research to better understand grades and improve her grading practices. The paper examines political, cultural, and ethical contexts of her grading decisions; describes manifestations of grade orientation; and discusses…

A pharmacy school large-group (110 students) course in pharmacokinetics was designed to incorporate small-group team-based problem solving. The method allows students to learn material through traditional lecture, research the topic further, discuss the information gained, and apply the learning to specific cases in a manner that promotes…