A five-year longitudinal study of undergraduate use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) found that student attitudes were stable, despite technological change; student expectations had increased; and student utilization of CMC was still primarily for course-related information. The study concluded that CMC can be best used as a complement…

Examined scientific reasoning in middle school science students and in scientists that analyzed phenomena explanations in class and in references. Found distinctions, but also reasons why student explanations do and should differ. The resulting conceptual model of student scientific reasoning in context emphasizes three contextual areas: available…

This study investigated the within-classroom uniformity of elementary students' perceptions of teachers' differential behavior, examining students at different achievement levels. Surveys indicated that achievement groups differed in perceptions of learning climate, negative reactions to teachers, and perceptions of teachers' differential behavior…

A study of 10 elementary and secondary teachers skilled at including students with disabilities in general education classrooms found seven unifying characteristics, including tolerant, reflective, and flexible personalities; acceptance of responsibility for all students; positive relationship with special educators; and adjusting expectations for…

This article presents insights from teachers nationwide who have experimented with writing workshops, describing what they see as the essential elements to their success (setting the tone, teacher-student and student-student communication, reflective thinking, high expectations, modeling from favorite authors, and working hard). Software, classic…

Outlines a workshop that discusses cooperative efforts between school library media specialists and college librarians to make the transition easier for college students, and considers several aspects of information literacy, including college faculty expectations, collaboration between librarians and faculty, teaching strategies, and assessment…

Gifted and regular high school students (n=158) completed a questionnaire on beliefs in fixed ability to learn, simple knowledge, quick learning, and certain knowledge; then advised a hypothetical student about going to college despite poor grades and few resources; and reported their feelings toward school and expectations of college demands.…

This Israeli study hypothesized that elementary teachers would make more instructional efforts toward pupils needing little control, i.e., high achieving pupils, and more efforts at socialization of low-achieving pupils. Students completed mathematics and reading tests. Teachers completed a survey about how they directed their instructional and…

Interviews with 33 teenagers from three small rural Midwest towns examined how they saw themselves, their families, friends, communities, and futures. Interview excerpts illustrate ambivalence about rural experiences, desire to move elsewhere, and Hispanic students' experiences with racism, but also convey positive attitudes about family, friends,…

A shortened and revised Student Aspirations Survey was administered to 1,160 students in rural middle schools and high schools. Evidence of construct validity was considerable for student responses to the aspirations scales and very limited for student responses to the school climate scales. Suggestions for improvement of score interpretation are…

Examines relevant research regarding how and when students learn from their physical education teachers, focusing on how student engagement leads to achievement, student mediational perspective, the role of gender and competence beliefs in teaching and learning, and how teacher practices influence student beliefs, engagement, and learning. The…

Describes changes in the perception and role of fatherhood during the last century. Maintains that official definitions and professional practice rarely confirm fathers' nurturing role, with debilitating results for fathers and families. Contends that legislation, official documents, and procedures should recognize changed expectations of family…

This study explored relative contributions of variables underlying 30 elementary teachers' referral judgments. Best predictors of referral were teachers' judgments about presence of behavioral problems and students' academic competence, while demography, off-task behavior, and teachers' stress failed to contribute significantly. (Contains…

Interviews with students at an alternative high school for at-risk students in Estes Park, Colorado, reveal their attitudes toward learning, the instructional program, and the learning environment. Finds, for example, that students value teachers who care and hands-on learning experiences. (PKP)

It is important for teachers to be sensitive to and respectful of their students' cultural learning styles without stereotyping. Matching teaching styles to learning styles is necessary; a student's learning style is neither an excuse for poor teaching nor an index of low capacity. (SM)