Classroom Research is a model which involves college teachers of all disciplines in systematic observation and collection of data about their teaching impact. This model, integrating research into everyday teaching and focusing on what works in the immediate classroom, suggests practical ways for instructors to obtain timely and regular feedback…

Describes an introduction-to-teaching course that helps students question ingrained beliefs and assumptions about teaching. Students envision teaching knowledge as lists of methods for discipline, management, evaluation, and instruction that, once memorized, will ensure their success. The characteristics making knowledge worth knowing often get…

These three articles discuss online search key selection based on observations of professional online searchers, interviews, and analyses of the verbal and search protocols involved. The selection routine is described, the use of controlled vocabulary versus free text searching is examined, and searching styles are discussed. (44 references) (LRW)

Presents several electricity activities for developing student's science process skills of observation and inference. (PR)

Presents three inquiry-based lessons to develop the science process skills of observation, identification, and classification. Activities use whelk eggs and snail shells as the focus of the students' inquiries. Provides a list of 19 facts about whelks and snails. (MDH)

Discusses education of multiply handicapped children, especially those with visual impairments. Reviews literature relative to previous studies in this area, focusing on participant observation as a suitable and useful means of assessing multiply disabled populations. Provides a basis for advocating qualitative measures over quantitative ones in…

Drawing on video, interview, survey, and observational data, analyzes four major actions by teacher leadership teams to explore the team's role-defining efforts. Using event mapping, open systems, and role theory, highlights complex interactions as teachers and principals implemented reforms challenging hierarchical patterns. Systems thinking is…

Explores how the tools of geography can help meet some of the challenges inherent in sustainable development by looking at changes in land-use patterns among the Bribri Indians of Costa Rica. Includes a geography lesson on comparing regions and environmental issues. (CMK)

This case study investigated the introduction of a theme from popular culture into a sociodramatic role-play area in a northern England Nursery Infant school, focusing on its effects on 6- to 7-year olds' literacy activities. Findings indicated that the incorporation of themes from popular culture into the curriculum motivated children whose…

Discusses the problem of toddler biting behavior in child care settings. Describes reasons for biting by toddlers, recommends caregiver responses to toddler biting, presents tips for observing children to identify the biter's patterns, and outlines ways to prevent biting in child care settings. (KB)

Assessed preschoolers' peer aggression and emotional displays outside of and during aggressive interactions, their emotion knowledge, and peer acceptance. Found that connections between affective dispositions and aggression and peer acceptance varied as a function of the emotion context and the particular emotion involved. Significant connections…

Explores a study that quantifies preschool children's music learning preferences in teacher-intitiated environments by observing the children on video to determine their flow experiences where the challenge level and skill level are both high. Stresses that using flow to measure music experiences provides a means for teachers to evaluate student…

Describes the use of case-study groups as a structure for active observation of children at the West Side Montessori School in New York City, including daily observation note-taking, bi-weekly meeting of a five-member team, and progress reports on individual children. Discusses the positive impact of the case-study groups on their observation…

Reports findings from a preliminary study evaluating effects of the UK's Office for Standards in Education inspections on classroom change, based on teachers' perceptions, responses, and intentions to change practice (resulting from the inspection process) at five comprehensive secondary schools. School context and culture figure prominently.…

To help principals and department heads in their mentoring role, the Singapore Ministry of Education developed a computer system for classroom observation named SOCRATES. The system requires no coding, continuously records entire lessons, compiles data useful for sequential analysis, and allows teachers and principals to identify strengths and…