This article reports on two academic courses related to visual literacy: Videology and the Internet. The two projects are examples of how young learners can be educated and prepared for a visual world via courses in visual literacy. The article provides an overview of the impact of television on American society, describes each project, discusses…

This volume is a collection of papers focused on a single theme, cooperative learning, written by classroom teachers of varying experience levels. This book introduces cooperative learning and gives examples of cooperative learning activities, units, and systems created by teachers in Japan, The United States, and Canada, who are currently using…

These proceedings are comprised of 25 presentations divided into 5 "tracks." Section I, Diversity and Social Justice, has "Free to Learn with Body and Soul Jazz Divas, Beat Poets, and Street Preachers" (Ferrante, Belcastro); "Clashing Cultures in Our Classrooms" (Gabrich, Rothenberger); "Encouraging Adults in…

The effectiveness of team building as a strategy for improving students' concern for safety in a production technology laboratory was examined in a study involving a group of grade 9 and 10 production technology students from an urban, lower-middle-class community in western Illinois. Students' safety test scores, teacher checklists, and…

This paper discusses the concept of diversity of course components in the context of an online staff development course at the United Kingdom Open University. In addition to FirstClass computer conferencing and Web content, RealAudio was used in both synchronous and asynchronous modes. The purpose of its use was to add diversity and focus, which…

This handbook presents the anecdotes of exemplary facilitative teachers representing a broad range of grade levels and disciplines. Teachers share how their philosophical paradigms evolved; how these emerge in daily teaching practice; what happens intrinsically and extrinsically in their classroom learning environment; and how students benefit…

Instructional design (ID) case studies that pose authentic ill-defined design problems in realistic environments can help instructional design students bridge the gap between novice and expert practice. Over the past 3 years, the authors have explored aspects of this educational approach through the development of World Wide Web-based…

This study examines the effects and interactions of World Wide Web page design on student navigation and decision making in Web-based learning environments. The following research questions are examined via quantitative, qualitative, and exploratory data analysis procedures: (1) Does instructional grouping or Web page format effect navigational…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the process used by learners to direct, locate, and integrate information resources for use in a project-based environment. Four cases (n=9, including three group projects and one individual project) were analyzed from an introductory educational technology course for preservice teachers during a unit…

This case study reports on collaborative activities among four fourth grade teachers and their students over a year and explores the effectiveness of distance learning for international team teaching. Two classes in Mexico City conducted school activities with two classes in College Station (Texas). Researchers examined: school activities that…

This study investigated the effectiveness of a shared, Intranet learning environment on problem-solving ability and reflective metacognition. Subjects were 78 9th and 10th grade biology students from three public high schools in Texas. Research focused on the following questions: (1) Will the use of a shared, Intranet environment improve learner…

This paper offers insights on how to facilitate student-student interaction in the science classroom. These insights derive from the education and the linguistics literature. Cooperative learning research offers a means of understanding what helps groups of students interact successfully. Systemic functional linguistics provides tools for…

Describes an English college geography course where students work in teams to design a field trail and produce promotional guides. Emphasizes field-based activity, student-led participation, and the development of a target audience. Recommends reiterating the relationship between theoretical considerations and the field-based activity. (MJP)

Describes and evaluates an unusual and innovative assessment procedure used in an undergraduate hydrology and oceanography class. Working in teams, English students produce research articles published by an in-house, though refereed, academic journal. Professors and students agree that the process stimulates students to perform at their highest…

Describes "Forever Friends," an intergenerational program linking second graders with elderly residents of an independent living facility. Describes monthly sessions involving group and partnership activities; how elders participate in classroom activities, musical programs, creative writing projects, and school field trips; and how…