Argues that a strong sense of technical necessity informs the design of the computer-literacy curriculum. As a result, instruction in this area is inadequate at best and dehumanizing at worst. Contains 32 references. (DDR)

Focuses on the history of the organization of chemical principles in chemistry textbooks. Describes a higher-order organizing principle, based in chemical logic and understanding, from which topics and order of presentation are derived. Provides an example of a biochemistry curriculum developed using this organizing principle. (DDR)

Maintains that utilizing the Internet in geography education changes the learning paradigm from the traditional lecture hall to a technology-rich, constructivist environment. Addresses the opportunities this paradigm offers for improving teaching and learning. Discusses the Colorado Geography-Web Project at the University of Colorado in which the…

Constructivist theory recognizes the student's value as thinker. Thinking ability hinges on the capacity to ask and consider important questions. Teachers need question-driven problem-solving strategies that are comprehensive, adaptable, discriminating, productive, and transferable. This article explains four types of situations and accompanying…

Investigates the extent to which a new general science curriculum reflecting a constructivist view has influenced the science classroom learning environment in Korea. Results from a validated Korean Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) indicate that grade 10 students perceived a more constructivist learning environment than grade 11…

Introduces an interdisciplinary undergraduate course on space physics based on history. Presents a contextual overview of space physics. (Contains 16 references.) (YDS)

A study examining the relationship between classroom environment and academic self-efficacy surveyed 951 mathematics students in grades 8 and 10 in 4 Canadian high schools. Improved levels of involvement, investigation, and task orientation were associated with higher levels of academic efficacy. Conventional classrooms may foster academic…

Investigates teacher education methods for teacher development as constructivist science instructors. Explains a typical day in a classroom using the traditional teaching approach and makes recommendations for promoting scientific thinking and problem solving. (YDS)

Theater as representation (TAR) has been used in pre-service and in-service teacher and administrator preparation programs since 1998. This paper places TAR within a pedagogical arena that further solidifies its place as an instrument for leadership professional development in B.Ed., M.Ed., and in-service programs. Maxine Greene (1995) challenges…

In most school settings, textbooks, which can be static and frequently outdated, are the major source of instruction about societal and science issues. Educators, however, want students to be less reliant on the static, sometimes dated, information and didactic instructions found in those books and to be more active in gathering their own…

This paper considers alternative assessment, feedback and cybernetics. For more than 30 years, debates about the bi-polarity of formative and summative assessment have served as surrogates for discussions about the workings of the mind, the social implications of assessment and, as important, the role of instruction in the advancement of learning.…

Utilizing an effective literacy program as a case study, the social-constructivist approach to family literacy is discussed in this article. The role of literacy programs as mentor to the apprentice family and the consequent transformation of family to child-mentor is described. Through review of an effective faintly literacy program, it is…

The Quality of Working in Groups Instrument (QWIGI) was used in this research to measure students' fluctuating psychological need states as well as their situational interest online. Based on previous research with the QWIGI, it was predicted that the variance in university sophomores' situational interest in each of the five different topics of…

Discourse regarding student perceptions of their communication competence was collected from students in geographically diverse university systems in the U.S. These student discourses were analyzed for patterns that revealed shared topics, ideas, and values regarding communication competence in a variety of situations. Three characteristics of…

Recent research on children's historical thinking has produced rich descriptions of instruction. However, the research literature is largely lacking a theoretical model of learning. This article asserts that developmental constructivist theory informs research design and interpretation, provides explanatory power, and promises more useful…