This study was conducted to determine the extent to which writing to learn and reflective teaching within an interdisciplinary elementary methods course gave undergraduates the opportunity to change their perspective from student to teacher. Participants were 31 preservice elementary education majors enrolled in a one semester interdisciplinary…

This paper, commissioned for the development of the national report, "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent," analyzes the policies and practices for educating high-ability students in Japan, Taiwan, and China. It reports on studies over the past 11 years of East Asian children's academic achievement. In the first…

This study examined how three dimensions of college students' experiences affect critical thinking skills: (1) curricular exposure, (2) formal classroom and instructional experiences, and (3) out-of-class experiences. The study used a 1-year, longitudinal, panel study design using data collected as part of a pilot study for a national,…

This study used a case study approach to examine how 30 Pennsylvania State University students used out-of-class experiences while studying abroad to enhance their learning. Students, who spent a semester or academic year abroad during the 1990-91 school year, were interviewed about their experiences. Three basic categories of learning activity…

This study investigated the relative freshman-year cognitive impacts of five two-year and six four-year colleges and universities drawn from all sections of the United States. The overall sample was 2,685 freshmen students participating in a national longitudinal study and of these the final sample contained 811 students, 280 attending five…

Enhancing ethnic relations among students of diverse ethnic backgrounds was the aim of this practicum. A specific goal was to aid students in developing positive communication skills needed to enable them to work in collaborative learning groups without feelings of ethnic inferiority or ethnic superiority. Students were taught the vocabulary…

This text describes an approach to middle level education that focuses on the work children will be expected to do as adults. This approach requires teachers to use instructional strategies that support the development of thinking skills. Chapter 1 explains the rationale for adopting a new approach to middle level curriculum. Chapter 2 examines…

This information packet contains five documents concerned with preschool education of migrant children. Three articles recommend that early childhood programs (1) have a developmentally appropriate curriculum that emphasizes life experiences, experiential learning, and large motor coordination; (2) reinforce natural learning that occurs in the…

In its first publication, "Helping Children Succeed," the Maine Aspirations Compact recommended strategies to help students raise their personal expectations, improve their academic performance, and expand their educational, career, and personal choices. This companion document presents a collection of successful efforts that are…

This document is designed for elementary school teachers to teach students concepts of personal responsibility. Daily lessons are organized around the following "twelve steps to success": be confident; be responsible; be here; be on time; be friendly; be polite; be prepared; be a listener; be a doer; be a tough worker; be a risk taker; and be a…

This curriculum guideline provides suggestions for the organization of courses of study in Core French programs at all levels from kindergarten to grade 9. The aim of the Core French programs, as distinguished from extended and immersion programs, is to provide opportunities for students to develop communication skills in French, an understanding…

While effective schools research has inspired new efforts toward improving education for all students, it is flawed by offering simplistic prescriptions based on correlational studies focusing on basic skills achievement. Effective school research and theory can be upgraded by a more careful definition of the goals of learning and a systematic…

Factors that govern effective student learning and ways to improve the learning environment are analyzed, with specific reference to England. In acknowledging the academic importance of motivation, maturity, and effective study methods, attention is directed to the way that these can be developed and encouraged within the present educational…

The study sought to determine the effects of a summer bridge program on the academic, personal, and social development of underrepresented and low-income students during their first year at the University of California, Los Angeles. The 1988 cohort of students enrolled in the Freshman Summer Program/Transfer Summer Program (FSP/TSP) were tracked…

The working of the educational system in a welfare state was examined in a longitudinal study of a cohort (initially 1,029) of students followed from age 7 to age 23 years. An initial sample included 329 males and 342 females, of whom 352 had working class careers and 319 had middle class careers. Relationships among social origin, gender, and…