Today, information and communication technologies such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are some of the most popular technologies available on the Internet, with millions of users worldwide. Research is still trying to discover how people use them, for what purposes, and in what settings, and investigate how they may be shaping the ways they…

As one component of an ongoing project to develop resources for bereaved children and families, funeral directors were surveyed about their experiences and practices with bereaved children. About one-third of respondents reported that they provided services specifically for bereaved children. Of these, some were proactive (reaching out to provide…

Online open educational resources (OERs) offer promise for K-12 teaching and learning, and one subject area in which OERs might prove valuable is the social studies. In a recent study, the authors investigated how Websites of public history sites (physical locations, like Colonial Williamsburg and Mystic seaport) provide OERs. Their 66 Websites…

In this article, the author talks about the 3D virtual world known as Second Life and its potential as a learning platform. In the last few years, many colleges, universities, and libraries have established resources in what has become the preeminent multiuser virtual environment. Today, more than 100 Second Life "regions" are used for educational…

A problem facing education today is that learning typically requires rote memorization rather than the use of higher-order thinking skills. Higher-order thinking is needed in a global society to solve real world problems, therefore students should be required to develop and practice higher-order thinking skills. The purpose of this mixed method…

While there is consensus that institutions need to represent their educational effectiveness through documentation of student learning, the higher education community is divided between those who support national standardized tests to compare institutions' educational effectiveness, and those who believe that valid assessment of student…

Given that each child learns differently, it makes sense that one type of science instruction does not fit all. Best-selling author Douglas Llewellyn gives teachers standards-based strategies for differentiating inquiry-based science instruction to more effectively meet the needs of all students. This book takes the concept of inquiry-based…

Given the emphasis on evidence-based practice (EBP) in the 2010 Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors, it has become even more critical for rehabilitation educators and rehabilitation counselors to understand EBP, how to implement it in teaching and in practice, and how to access available EBP resources. This paper defines and…

Synthetic biology is the application of engineering and mathematical principles to develop novel biological devices and circuits. What separates synthetic biology from traditional molecular biology is the development of standardized interchangeable DNA "parts," just as advances in engineering in the nineteenth century brought about standardized…

Budget cuts in education demand that school counselors learn how to do more with what is presently available, and to collaborate with families and communities to find resources that meet student needs. In an effort to address how school counselors can be proactive in finding needed resources, this article draws on information from various…

Whether they are acknowledged or not, resources such as textbooks, curriculum guides, assessments, and professional development programs present messages about what is most important for students to learn and how students can best learn this. At times teachers feel obligated to enact these messages, but at other times they feel free to ignore…

Physical education as a dynamic content area should motivate students to be physically active. In this article, readers suggest new ideas to kick off the new school year and get everyone "moving" in the right direction.

Background: Previous research has advocated the use of an integrated business curriculum, and has examined issues related to content, design and delivery of an integrated curriculum. However, no study was found that evaluated deans' perceptions of the importance of integration, the status of integration efforts, and the resources necessary for…

The Educational Innovation Incubator is an electronic classroom designed to evolve at the University of Central Missouri. This newly enacted endeavor is a place for faculty and students to combine the scholarship of teaching and learning into their courses by experimenting with the latest technologies in education. This paper describes the process…

Teaching entrepreneurship--how to create, grow and run a business or organization--is one potential means to increase college and career readiness skills. Learning how to start a business can improve critical thinking, communication and collaboration (Gallagher, Stepien, & Rosenthal, 1992; Hmelo, 1998), which are key qualities for academic as…