This study investigated the effects of a classroom intervention on prospective elementary teachers' ability to evaluate evidence of student achievement of mathematical learning goals. The intervention was informed by a framework for teacher education which aims to provide prospective teachers (PTs) with the skills needed to systematically learn…

This study examined three methods of responding to in-class multiple-choice concept questions in an Introduction to Psychology course. Specifically, this study compared exam performance and student reactions using three methods of responding to concept questions: (a) a technology-based network system, (b) hand-held flashcards, and (c) hand…

The authors explored whether a new pedagogy using personal response systems (clickers) along with case study teaching improved students' perceptions of their understanding of science in large introductory biology classrooms. Twelve faculty from nine institutions and 1,457 students across the United States and Canada participated in this study.…

After accepting the principal position at Farmersville (TX) Junior High, the author decided to increase instructional rigor through question mapping because of the success he saw using this instructional practice at his prior campus. Teachers are the number one influence on student achievement (Marzano, 2003), so question mapping provides a…

This study examined preservice teachers' reactions to and reflections on a set of five animations as representations of algebra instruction. The results showed that most comments in the preservice teachers' reflections were related to: (a) student learning and motivation, or (b) the classroom and instructional environment. Few comments in the…

Peer assessment is utilized extensively in digital learning, and many studies have examined the positive influences of online peer assessment on learning (eg, Tseng & Tsai, 2007). However, other studies indicate that this type of activity has negative influences. For example, students may question the fairness of an assessment or disagree with…

There was a concern from faculty at Bahrain Teachers' College that undergraduate Bahraini students lack the necessary competencies needed for success in educational contexts that are conducive to active, student-centered learning. It was decided that the students be introduced to a problem-based learning (PBL) strategy in one of their educational…

Six online postings and six one-minute papers were added to an introductory first-year class, forming 5 percent of the final grade, but represented significant intervention in class functioning and amount of active learning. Active learning produced results in student performance beyond the percentage of the final grade it constituted. (Contains 1…

Two complementary techniques to gauge student understanding and inspire interactive learning in the chemistry classroom are presented. Specifically, this article explores the use of student responses with their thumbs as an alternative to electronic-response systems and complementing these experiences with longer, task-based questions in an…

The reactions of students to forensic dissection encompass psychologico-emotional and physical components. This exploratory study aimed to determine risk factors for students' adverse physical and psychological reactions to forensic dissection. All sixth-year medical students (n = 304) attending the compulsory practical course in forensic medicine…

Adolescent substance use is a serious problem often invoking negative reactions. The current study extends the literature in this area. A total of 425 college students read one of five vignettes, each of which described an adolescent who used marijuana, hard liquor, or drank an occasional beer (control) and who had received or not received…

This study examined teachers' literacy and technology integration in their design of Internet-based lessons for Grade 1-6 students using a tool that scaffolds the design process to focus on Internet resources and reading strategies. Twenty-six teachers' lessons on a public database were analyzed for design orientation, goals, curricular…

Urban school districts have increasingly enacted policies of personalism, such as converting large schools into smaller schools. Such policies ask teachers to develop supportive, individual relationships with students as a presumed lever for student achievement. Research on student-teacher relationships generally supports policies of personalism.…

While research supports that formative assessment can improve student learning, it is rarely used and difficult to implement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the use of student handheld response systems (SRS) as a tool for formative assessment in high school classes as well as teachers' attitudes towards this…

A 5-year longitudinal study of the implementation of an affective curriculum in a school for gifted children, in the form of weekly development-oriented, teacher-led small-group discussions for all students in Grades 5 through 8, found that initial resistance changed to receptivity and gains over time. Analysis of Likert-type responses and brief…