Four studies examined the relationship between students' ability and the learning processes the students engaged in when they acquired knowledge from their classroom experiences. The research was based on a model of learning processes during knowledge acquisition that identifies critical learning experiences and predicts what is learned and…

A study investigated the use of graphic organizers in classrooms--specifically examined was the use of graphic organizers as visual and organizational tools to facilitate student comprehension of expository text. Subjects consisted of 107 kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers (both regular and special educators) teaching in rural and urban…

The 11 chapters in this book, each contributed by a different author, are organized around the "3P model" of learning at the college level developed by John Biggs, which allows teachers to monitor and modify their teaching in light of students' learning. The 3P model includes presage (student and situational variables), process (how…

Noting that children bear a natural curiosity and urge to learn about the world around them, and that the nature of compulsory schooling is at odds with this inclination, this book explores why parents remove their children from schools to teach them at home and provides step-by-step guidance for parents who want to home school their children.…

During the past 15 years, physics education research has revealed many surprising things about the difficulties introductory physics students have in learning physics. At the same time, the ongoing revolution in information technology has led to new tools for creating innovative educational environments. In response to these two developments, a…

This paper contends that classrooms should be safe places for students and their teachers to be wrong, suggesting that this concept should provide the mainspring for educational reform in Hong Kong and in other places in the world. It notes that education in Hong Kong is harsh and has a tendency to label students; for the majority of students,…

This booklet is the seventh in a series on educational practices that generally improve learning. The psychological principles described in the booklet summarize important findings of recent research on learning that is relevant for education. The principles attempt to integrate research coming from diverse areas of psychology, including…

The gains in knowledge about the nature of reading and how to most effectively teach it come from cognitive research. This booklet (in the form of a flipchart) synthesizes and summarizes much of the current research on effective instruction for improved literacy and greater student achievement. The booklet, a revised edition of "New…

Successful adult students employ strategies to learn, and effective adult education programs attend to the development of learning by enabling students to study learning processes in addition to content. Good learners have the ability to identify goals and the steps required to achieve them, identify the strengths of their own learning, actively…

An outdoor education leader's job is quite complex--the planning, logistics, preparation, teaching, watching, being aware of safety can be overwhelming. Pulling it all together so that participants can express what they learned from the experience is sometimes overlooked. The reflective process is integral to the success of learning, yet it takes…

This paper describes a project that was an arena for learning through three years (six semesters) of engineering education in computer technology. Project work accounted for approximately 20% of student work in five semesters, and 50% in the last semester. There were three categories of projects. The first type, in the first semester, had as its…

While the early childhood field has formed standards to help in recognizing quality programs for children, practitioners seldom use values to guide in selection of materials or to help plan early childhood environments. This book draws on a variety of educational approaches, including Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia, to outline hundreds of…

This book presents results of recent research about the mind, brain, and learning processes. It examines new findings in learning theory and their implications for what is taught, how it is taught, and how learners are assessed. It also shows how theories and insights can translate into actions and practices. It examines research on human…

This report describes a plan for using the multiple intelligences to increase student motivation. The target population consisted of a sixth grade reading class in a rural setting, and second, fourth, and fifth grade students in a pullout ESL (English-as-a-Second-Language) program in an urban setting. The lack of motivation became evident as…

Paul Petzoldt, an early pioneer in outdoor education, saw the need for trained outdoor leaders. This paper presents material from unpublished papers retrieved after his death that clarify and expand on his philosophy of leadership development. Key ideas such as: judgment, 20-20 vision, and use of wilderness expeditions, are expanded upon and…