This article reports on the findings from the first part of a pilot project which gathered data from a mixed-ability Year-4 class on their perceptions of their identities as learners. A questionnaire was used which addressed both academic and affective issues, for example, why pupils do or do not enjoy certain subjects, whether they prefer to work…

The purpose of this study is to adapt, deliver, and pilot test the Self-discovery Programme (SDP) for teachers in mainstream school. The study used a pre-test post-test design. Quantitative data were collected by self-administered questionnaires given to teachers at two points in time: baseline (immediately pre-SDP) and immediately post-SDP.…

PEPNet's "Perspectives" is the collaborative newsletter of the four PEPNet regional centers. This newsletter combines each centers individual strengths into a single resource that can be used on a national level. The issue focuses on the following topics: (1) Web Tool Locates Needed Resources; (2) Family Center on Technology and Disability (Ana…

Study abroad programs on American college and university campuses are booming, with a national goal of sending abroad one million students within ten years. In this timely and thought-provoking look at the benefits of studying abroad, Joshua S. McKeown moves beyond the acknowledged cultural and linguistic benefits to focus on how it promotes…

This paper discusses research on a Partner Classroom pilot program that was implemented over a two-year period to provide "high quality," "targeted" field experiences in a senior-level elementary literacy methods course. The aim was to shift the focus from passive watching and engagement in routine classroom tasks to emphasize guided observations,…

In Australia, there has been a tendency to rely on quantitative indicators of university teaching quality. This has occurred partly because the indicators are perceived as objective and reliable and partly because they are relatively simple to gather and collate. A national project currently underway is based on the assumptions that teaching…

The "Architecture Studio Archive" pilot sought to form a comprehensive digital archive of the diverse student work conducted in the first year of the Bachelor of Design in Architecture Degree at the University of Sydney. The design studio is the primary vehicle for teaching architectural design. It is a locus for creative activity, with…

The purpose of this pilot project was to develop a tool and a process for providing performance feedback on evidence-based classroom management strategies to teachers of students in emotional support classrooms. The project was carried out with nine classroom teachers and descriptive results are discussed. Initial results found increases in…

This article suggests that quality assessment in the UK has been largely set apart from learning and teaching and reports on a pilot project at the Hull York Medical School which attempted to integrate students' evaluation of their clinical placements into the curriculum. It outlines the operational demands of this integrated method and compares…

This article discusses a three-tiered, differentiated curriculum in a response to intervention (RTI) framework that has successfully raised achievement at all levels, but is particularly successful with ninth-grade students. Walla Walla (Washington) School District implemented the three-tiered intervention program as a series of differentiated…

I report on a pilot study on the use of Google Maps to provide virtual field trips as a component of a wholly online graduate course on the history of astronomy. The Astronomical Tourist Web site (http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/sao/tourist), themed around the role that specific locations on Earth have contributed to the development of astronomical…

Because there are few native speakers of English in Taiwan, students of English in Taiwan are often poorly motivated, having few opportunities to develop their skills and learn about American culture outside of class. Recent advancements in distance education allow live audio and video teleconferences via the Internet, a technology that has the…

The purpose of this pilot study is to gain more insight into learner factors prominent in high-poverty urban schools and to suggest pedagogical approaches appropriate to this environment. To this end, three surveys were administered to students attending a high-poverty, urban middle school in order to measure their learning style preferences,…

Aboriginal communities in Canada are typically marginalized, have very low employment participation rates, and have limited economic infrastructure. The downturn in global economies further marginalized these communities. The University of Northern British Columbia's (UNBC) Continuing Studies department piloted an Aboriginal and Small Business…

This article analyzes the findings of a pilot project conducted in 2008-2009 as a partnership between University Studies, Portland State University's interdisciplinary general education program, and the University's Russian Flagship Language Partner Program. The project proposes a new approach of integrating non-English speakers' language skills,…