This study investigated acquisition of music performance skills over 11 practice trials in novice and expert pianists differing in age, training, and sight-reading ability. The finding of a strong positive relationship between the mastery of temporal constraints and planning abilities within performance suggested that these two cognitive…

Responds to the article, "Separating Wheat from Chaff: Why Dirty Pictures are not the Real Dilemma in Using the Internet to Teach Social Studies." Maintains that creating a safe Internet environment is the responsibility of the adults not students and developing student skills in evaluating and validating information is not the answer. (CMK)

Describes the Canadian Radarsat Satellite and remote sensing in order to demonstrate that teachers can incorporate this technology into the classroom. Maintains that third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students can understand and interpret remote sensing images and Landsat images. Provides a list of teaching resources other than the expensive…

Contends that the general development acquired in preschool provides the foundation for a child's acquisition for any specialized kind of knowledge and assimilation of various activities. Views the organization of public preschool education as the creation of equal starting conditions for the shaping of the preschooler's personality, particularly…

Explores the factors that may influence the decisions made by students aged 9-15 years old as they chose musical sounds and constructed compositions. Indicates that age, formal music training, and aesthetic response to musical sounds are the primary factors affecting specific choices made in the compositional process. (CMK)

Explores the reasons for using the Internet in the classroom: (1) stimulates student interest; (2) develops information literacy; (3) encourages student interaction; and (4) offers students control over their learning. Discusses two examples of how the Internet can enhance the social studies curriculum and recognizes the barriers to Internet…

Examines techniques for generating positive test washback to teachers and students, and their relevance in the teaching of Italian as a second language. A sample Italian test is offered to demonstrate how the criteria for positive washback can be met in an exam that challenges students to develop all four language skills (listening, speaking,…

Examined changes in students' group skills before and after employer feedback and in students receiving and not receiving feedback, and the relationship between skill level and performance on the assignment. Experience with employer-observed group work increased students' self-rating of their skills; teams with a good knowledge of team processes…

Explains how the existing workforce in Kazakhstan's oil industry is being upgraded in skills, knowledge, and competencies to bring them up to the standards of the West. Discusses the design phase, including career development plans, training plans, and business plans; job ladders and specifications; assessing skill levels; and an…

Compares three methods of teaching keyboard sight-reading to 69 undergraduate music majors enrolled in six piano classes were randomly divided among three conditions: (1) error-detection practice plus "shadowing" (EDS); (2) shadowing only; and (3) unguided independent practice. Indicates that the EDS subjects achieved moderate overall…

Explores the development of sight-reading and harmonization skills among 39 nonkeyboard music majors enrolled in six intact sections of class piano. Indicates that the right hand was more accurate and consistent, made less improvement on all tasks, and was slightly more accurate on harmonization tasks than the left hand. Includes references. (CMK)

Believes that social studies teachers should help their students use logical argument and learn to recognize a fallacious argument. Offers a description and conceptualization of critical thinking. Discusses common fallacies of informal arguments after defining fallacy and syllogisms. Provides three considerations for classroom discourse and…

Contends that watching and responding to plays can enhance the moral consciousness of students. Outlines a framework for using plays in moral education, discussing pre- and post-performance strategies. Demonstrates the value of Canadian drama for cultivating moral consciousness and explores two Canadian plays in detail. (CMK)

Through use of two prepared surveys, Power Reader and Power Learner (from the Information Power Action Research Project by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Research and Statistics Committee), high school students can track their library skill growth during a research project and report and reflect on their reading…

Describes "Snakes in the Grass," a weaving project used with special needs students. Discusses the preliminary skill-building activities used, the process for creating the students' individual snakes, and the preparation and process for how the students wove the snakes. (CMK)