A study investigated the effect or lack of effect of peer collaboration on the writing of female freshman composition students. Four freshman composition classes conducted by two experienced instructors participated in a 3-week study. One instructor taught two classes by teacher-lecture and teacher-led discussions exclusively. Another instructor…

Instructional designs are described that respond to the personal needs of adult learners, the general education needed for employees in contemporary, complex organizations, and the need for effective instruction models for use with adult students. Following a discussion of the changing expectations in the work environment that result in a need for…

Current research on applications of computer conferencing in six institutions identifies a number of common problems related to communications and conferencing software and hardware and user attitudes about the medium. Despite these difficulties, there have been indications of a growth in the incorporation of computer conferencing in distance…

This module, developed by the Research Applications for Teaching (RAFT) project, introduces the undergraduate student to practices of teachers in effective schools which facilitate the climate for learning in the classroom. Used with Canter's materials on assertive discipline, the preservice teachers should have an opportunity to reflect carefully…

As increasing numbers of undergraduate students in higher education are engaging in online group discussions as part of their course work, there is a need to gain insights into the nature of the experience of learning in this new context. Previous studies have reported benefits for students who engaged in online discussions, but few describe these…

Calls for reform in science education stress the need for inquiry-based, integrative methods that provide students with opportunities to solve authentic problems. Project INSITE, a four-year professional development effort in Indiana, was designed to help teachers integrate problem-centered science methods in their classrooms. This approach was…

The school has increasingly become the focus for teacher professional development and school leaders are maximizing teacher learning through restructuring time and meeting structures to create additional opportunities for collegial work within the school day. This research paper is the second part of a three stage research design investigating…

Few universities are currently offering an online course with collaborative learning component in Instructional Design. This study shared information on an on-going evaluation of online Instructional Design courses from 94 graduate students who have taken this course, hoping to find out the most effective way to deliver similar courses. This…

In this paper we focus on the role of signs in students' perceptive processes underpinning the generalization of numeric-geometric patterns. Based on a videotaped Grade 9 classroom group activity undertaken by three students and framed by a cultural-semiotic theoretical perspective, we carry out a microgenetic analysis of an elementary form of…

Fluency instruction can be seamlessly incorporated into any elementary classroom with the help of this indispensable guide. Provided are fluency development ideas that are effective and motivating, including whole-class and small-group lessons, student-managed activities, and procedures involving classroom volunteers. The emphasis on partner-based…

Considerable efforts have been made to get students to use information technology for educational purposes. This study uses data from the 2003 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to investigate the relationships between student uses of information technology and other forms of student engagement. The results suggest…

Everyone talks about "best practice" teaching--what does it actually look like in the classroom? How do working teachers translate complex curriculum standards into simple, workable classroom structures that embody exemplary instruction--and still let kids find joy in learning? In this book, the authors present seven basic teaching structures that…

Many Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited schools require undergraduate Management Information Systems (MIS) majors to take a course in the management of information technology. Over half of these schools utilize case studies in the teaching of this course. Case studies are an important vehicle for teaching…

Multimedia computer learning activities, when designed according to what is known about children's preferences, may help close the gender gap in attitudes about computer usage in schools. This paper includes: a brief overview of gender-gap research; a description of one response--the UCI (University of California Irvine) Computer Arts program,…

This proceedings of the 2000 Topics on Distance Learning conference contains summaries of the following presentations: "The ABC's of Distance Learning via Full Motion Video" (Liz Owens); "Assessing the Cost of Technology in Instruction Using an Economic Model" (Joseph Lovrinic); "Collaboration Lessons Learned from the…