Many feel that an advantage to using computer simulations in science teaching is that they give students the opportunity to witness or perform experiments which might otherwise be too expensive, time consuming, or dangerous for them to do. Simulations attempt to mimic the kind of experience students get in a laboratory and help students learn new…

Outlines the constructivist model of knowledge and describes how this model relates to Piaget's theory of intellectual development. Contrasts the constructivist model with the traditional views of knowledge. Discusses how this model can help explain some of the things that happen in chemistry classrooms. (TW)

Parents around the world grapple with the common challenge of balancing work and child care. Despite common problems, the industrialized nations have developed dramatically different social and labor market policies--policies that vary widely in the level of support they provide for parents and the extent to which they encourage an equal division…

There is growing consensus among educators and policy makers that the gap in academic outcomes that exists along socio-economic and racial lines is the most pressing educational challenge of the day. Given their daily work teaching in public schools in the nation's lowest-income urban and rural communities, Teach For America teachers--or "corps…

This paper discusses the need for systematic school-wide support of the use of indigenous languages among those who learn them at home and of approrpriate instruction in the same languages for those who do not. The school's role in keeping indigenous languages alive must go beyond native language instruction to encompass dissemination of…

This theme issue focuses on instructional practices, evaluation, and the state of bilingual education. "Effective Implementation of Bilingual Programs: Reflections from the Field" (Abelardo Villarreal, Adela Solis) describes the key characteristics of successful bilingual programs: vision and goals; program leadership; linkage to central…

This educational packet is designed to provide health educators with materials necessary to teach high school students about the facts concerning mental illness. The objectives of the lesson plans are to (1) identify common fears and misconceptions about people who have mental illness; (2) discuss how stereotypes about mental illness are formed;…

Replicates a classic psychology laboratory experiment where students either endorsed or refuted personal statements and estimated how other people would respond. Students always overestimated an affirmative response on the statements they endorsed, thus illustrating the false consensus effect. Includes a list of the statements and statistical…

Maintains that most graduate-level economics textbooks rarely mention the need for consumers to be above their minimum wealth position as a condition for market equilibrium. Argues that this omission leaves students with a mistaken sense about the range of circumstances under which market equilibria can exist. (MJP)

Reports a study to examine careless errors fifth-grade students (n=58) make while solving mathematical word problems and explores the type of student who frequently makes such errors. Results indicated that frequency of these errors was significantly related to the noncognitive variables of the study. Discusses implications for remediation. (20…

Explains how misperceptions of Asian Americans have led to inappropriate conclusions by the public and by policymakers concerning medical school enrollment and financial assistance and health needs research. The article makes recommendations for increasing and expanding targeted data collection efforts in the Asian Pacific American subcategories.…

While most child development experts acknowledge there is no universally agreed upon definition of children's play, there is general agreement that a lack of play, commonly known as "play deprivation" in play theories and research, can greatly stifle the child's normal healthy development. Therefore, the need for daily play experiences and daily…

This study investigated the effectiveness of conceptual change texts oriented instruction accompanied by demonstrations in small groups on students' ecology achievement and attitude towards biology. 78 ninth grade students in a public high school participated in this study. While the control group was taught with the traditional method, the…

This article suggests that a genuine reform endeavor towards the "Science for All" paradigm should adopt a holistic approach. There are several countries around the world that adopted the "Science for All" paradigm at the beginning of the 21st century. However, while looking closely at the amount of change that took place in…

This publication provides an introduction to teaching and learning approaches for the extension topics within GCSE Physics. It highlights some specific ideas that teachers can adopt and where to find further information. It also outlines issues for managing the change. This guide contains sevens sections: Section 1 presents the policy context;…