A study investigated the influence on critical-thinking skills of part-time and full-time student status. Subjects were 2,076 first-year students at 2- and 4-year colleges. Full-time students developed a higher level of critical-thinking skills than did part-time students, even controlling for other factors. Full-time two-year college students…

This case study describes the impact of physical education teachers' value systems on their curricula by examining two middle school physical educators' curriculum content and implementation. Observations and interviews indicated that the teachers established curriculum goals and emphasized aspects of physical education content that related to…

Examines the debate over "key skills" in the United Kingdom's higher education curriculum, intended to compensate for early specialization in school and make education more relevant to work. Suggests that a more fundamental curriculum reform is needed, because key skills focus narrowly on"practical" outcomes and because the…

Certain that students' average standardized test scores did not reflect their faculty's teaching effectiveness, Department of Defense dependent schools in Wuerzburg, Germany, mounted a districtwide experiment involving performance tests and rubrics in writing and science. Teachers documented gains in students' high-level writing and science skill…

Examined the information-seeking processes of junior high school students from Inuvik, Northwest Territories (Canada) when using CD-ROM encyclopedias. Results showed that students need instruction and practice to develop skills and strategies for full-text searching, particularly generating search terms, selecting topics from a retrieved list, and…

Describes a research project in the social studies curriculum at St. Paul Academy and Summit School (Minnesota) during which students visit a university library. Objectives for student research are: to select a topic, design a thesis statement, locate pertinent primary and secondary resources, and write a well-documented, analytical research…

Outlines a rationale for using movies in modern language classes. Films in the target-language are useful in promoting listening comprehension and target-language culture. Films in students' native language may also be useful. The paper identifies ways for teachers to develop content-rich units that foster language learning. Two appendixes list…

Presents a longitudinal study comparing problem-solving performance for medical students trained using two different approaches to medical education. The first is traditional medical education involving lectures supplemented by laboratory exercises. The second approach is problem-based learning (PBL), where students learn basic concepts in small…

Offers suggestions for using the "1896" website at Vassar College that includes 90 political cartoons, party platforms, candidate biographies, and other background materials on the election of 1896. Provides five approaches to teaching about the election that move beyond the basic facts of the campaign in order to develop students'…

Compares the effects of fundamental exercises and music excerpts approaches on sightreading and performance proficiency of 58 students in a symphonic and concert band at a suburban high school. Finds that the students using music excerpts were no weaker in sightreading ability, had a higher performance achievement, and indicated more positive…

To promote the communicative competence of elementary-stage English-as-a-foreign-language learners at Anhui Normal University, a balanced-activities approach has been adopted so students can benefit from an all-around development of the four language skills. (Author/VWL)

Conveys that the reliance on information technologies may disenfranchise those students unable to secure access to computers and the knowledge needed to use them. Addresses the issues behind technological segregation and asserts the need to replace the personal computer (PC) with a network computer (NC). Technological segregation affects all…

Determines whether modes of instruction and uses of different instruments affect students attitudes, recall, and performance skill for Ghandian music. Stresses that authentic instruments are important in achieving optimum attitude and knowledge outcomes in multicultural music instruction. Identifies the benefits of live instruction as opposed to…

Describes in detail the four sessions of a pre-college technology seminar designed to upgrade high school seniors' skills and give them confidence as they enter college. Critical areas addressed are search strategies, college online catalogs, database selection, and evaluation of Web sites. (AEF)

Compares two approaches for preparing students to take standardized reading tests. Discusses study that used a pretest-posttest design with reading-comprehension passages and questions to assess improvement. Suggests that measurable gain in short-term developmental programs may require focusing on a more modest number of teaching objectives,…