In traditional classes, having many questions from learners is important because these questions indicate difficult points for learners and for teachers. This paper proposes a FAQ-based e-Learning environment to support Japanese language learning that focuses on learner questions. This knowledge sharing system enables learners to interact and…

For the forty-third time, the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented online during the annual AECT Convention. Volume 1 contains 37 papers dealing primarily with research and development topics. Papers dealing with the…

In her new book, bestselling author Cynthia Ballenger explores the intellectual strengths of students that teachers find "puzzling"--poor, urban, immigrant, or bilingual children who do not traditionally excel in school. Ballenger challenges the assumption that these children--whose families in many cases have less formal education, read fewer…

When the authors taught in traditional classroom settings, collaboration and communication were understood to be important. Part of every class session was spent in discussion because they knew the importance of students teaching students, and they believed that the teacher as a facilitator, rather than the supreme encyclopedia of knowledge, was a…

Future time perspective (FTP) serves as a strong motivational force for individuals to engage in activities that may be instrumental in future outcomes. There has been a voluminous body of research studies, to date, that explored the importance of FTP. This article discusses FTP from sociocultural perspectives. Based on previous empirical…

Is the sound of pupils talking in class an indication of disengagement and a cue for teacher intervention or an indication of active learning? According to Jennifer Richmond, second in science at Falinge Park High School in Rochdale and a lead teacher with Rochdale Local Authority, "pupils talking in groups can develop language skills; it's…

This article summarizes 8 presentations from Group 8 on the theme "Training of Researchers and Practitioners," which were part of the 2007 joint symposium of the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, Society for Vocational Psychology, and National Career Development Association held in Padua, Italy. Three…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to seek to conceptualize a theory of self-contribution as a framework for understanding and demonstrating the dispositions and skills academics and educational leaders need to break the silence and engage in constructive talk about race across color lines. Design/methodology/approach: Brian Fay's framework for…

Emotions and emotional states play an important role in learning to teach, encouraging teacher educators to consider the place of the affective domain in preservice teacher preparation. Preservice teacher reflection provides a means by which to constructively explore the affective domain in teacher preparation. This article draws from two…

Prospective elementary teachers' (N = 148) motivation to participate in whole-class discussions during mathematics content courses for teachers, as expressed in their own words on an open-ended questionnaire, were studied. Results indicated that prospective teachers were motivated by positive utility values for participating (to achieve a…

This paper reports on phase 1 of a project commissioned by Learning and Teaching Scotland to explore the continuing professional development (CPD) needs of teachers in Scotland in years 2-6 of their careers. Nominal group technique (NGT) was employed to identify the CPD needs of year 2-6 teachers and to identify the relative priority of these…

Student-run literature circles within the classroom setting have been well documented in recent years. This past year the author was given the opportunity to have her fifth grade library class for an additional library period each week to devote to literature circles. For their program, the goal was to expand the student's pleasure in reading and…

Harkness teaching is the pedagogy of all history classes and, indeed, of all classes in all disciplines at Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA). It can be somewhat difficult to arrive at an exact definition of "Harkness teaching." Loosely speaking, Harkness teaching is leading student-centered discussions in class, finding ways to get students…

In an election season, the discussion of politics in the classroom can become a minefield of potential disasters for students and teachers alike both in relation to the material being discussed and the social, emotional, and overall identity development of the students. Through a concentrated effort involving curricular activities as well as…

The Great Eight competencies are work behaviors that promote employee effectiveness in 21st-century organizations. These competencies include enterprising and performing, adapting and coping, organizing and executing, creating and conceptualizing, analyzing and interpreting, interacting and presenting, supporting and cooperating, and leading and…