Presents an account of a week of learning and instruction from a high school physics course to provide a context for discussion of the role and demands of teacher inquiry. Argues coordination of student inquiry and traditional content is a matter of discerning and responding to students' particular strengths and needs. (Author/KB)

Focuses on the importance of vocabulary knowledge as fundamental to proficiency in a second language (L2). The article notes that each of the studies in this issue examines L2 vocabulary learning from a particular angle, including lexical progress, learning strategies, context effect, the role of learner factors such as age and first language…

A survey of Finnish freshman and fifth-year students in psychology (n=59) and medicine (n=116) found that older psychology students tended toward a constructivist conception of learning, while medical students saw learning as intake of knowledge. More freshman students, especially medical students, were dualist in approach. Four components were…

Examined kindergartners' and third graders' recall to test the effects of four learning strategies applied to items involving three conceptual relations--taxonomic, contextual, and unrelated. Found that (using a constructivist framework for interpretation) learner activity and causal processing improved memory when memory was not supported by…

Reports on a project in the United Kingdom identifying strategies to manage classroom discourse in ways designed to give words and their meanings particular kinds of attention in order to foster vocabulary development in children studying English as an additional language. Notes that in this project, target word-meanings related to learning…

Describes the process of problem-based learning (PBL), discusses the history of the movement, and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of PBL. Explains the advantages of PBL in developing desirable attributes in biochemistry graduates which include being able to generalize, being able to interpret data, and possessing knowledge of relevant…

Reviews Betty Edwards' self-instruction book, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," and discusses the motivational techniques used in that work. Argues that these techniques, designed to build student self-confidence, explain the book's popularity and provide instructive examples for other art teachers. (MJP)

Examines the relationship between handwriting and early drawing. Maintains that often the quality of line in drawing becomes more reserved as the acquisition of the skill of writing-as-script becomes more fluid and automatic. Includes exercises that illustrate this process and use handwriting to explore creativity. (MJP)

Describes the Scaffolding Reading Experience, a technique that helps students deal with challenging expository texts and supports social science inquiry methods. This technique relies on various supporting activities during the prereading, during-reading, and postreading phases. Outlines a series of these activities used during a U.S. history…

A survey of 2,071 first-year students in university distance-education programs found the two most common learning strategies were repetitive reading of course materials and summarization of facts. Wide variation in strategies was found, apparently determined by both learner characteristics and nature and design of instructional materials,…

A teacher's journal reflects her experience of designing and teaching writing courses at a Massachusetts alternative high school for high-risk students, her experience of using writing for personal healing, and the resistance she encountered when encouraging students to use writing as a means for personal growth and overcoming trauma. (LP)

A year-long study followed two bilingual (English/Spanish) middle school teachers as training helped them to develop a new way of interacting with students during content teaching. To enhance student comprehension, the teachers moved away from concurrent translation and made efforts to distribute language usage so that they spent equal amounts of…

Recounts a portfolio writing assignment designed to help students develop better study skills, increase metacognitive awareness, and use self-reflection to evaluate their performance during the semester. Students completed surveys and journal entries assessing their strategies for reading and studying, as well as, performance goals, emotional…

Advocates and outlines an instructional strategy for developing critical-thinking skills in sociology classes. The "panning-for-gold" strategy requires students to interact continually with the material through questioning and evaluation. Includes a template of suggestions for critically evaluating material. Test results showed…

Describes the use of interactive online instruction in preprofessional training programs for dieticians at three universities that incorporated cooperative learning strategies. Discusses computer attitudes, technology use, demographic variables, previous computer experience, amount of time spent, self-efficacy with the World Wide Web, evaluation…