Discusses instructional psychology and teaching reading. Focuses on Early Reading Research (ERR), a 2-year study following a sample of 433 children as they progress from reception into Year 1. Reports on the first year of research when children were in either six experimental classes (implementing ERR reading framework) or six comparison schools.…

Considers various ways in which teacher education outcomes are framed in research, policy, and the media, examining the impact of such framings on the role of teaching and teacher education in promoting democratic values and arguing that researchers and teacher educators must help shape the questions raised in the policy arena, as they strongly…

In this article we describe a mathematical microworld for investigating car motion on a racing course and its use with a group of grade 12 students. The microworld is concerned with the mathematical construction of courses and functions which describe car motion. It is implemented in the computer algebra system, Maple[R], which provides the means…

This paper argues that there has been academic amnesia in the field of self-study with respect to the intellectual heritage underlying self-study as a way of understanding teaching practice. From Aristotle to Dewey, the concept of practical inquiry or deliberation has been a recurrent theme. However Schwab's exploration of the role of the…

The Fake Book is a square spiral bound Xeroxed book, about 7" by 7", maybe 250 pages long. It's all music--the notes, usually in C or B minor, of hundreds of standard tunes, jazz, pop, and every once in a while, classical. The Fake Book and all of its variants provide an evolving canon of tunes that defines a set of common standards for…

This study describes and analyzes the pedagogical activities of two professional development models aimed at helping teachers effectively integrate technology in their classrooms. Most importantly, it investigates the impact of those activities on teacher learning and practice. Results of the study provide empirical evidence that links key…

The use of technology, such as the Web, has become an increasingly popular means for disseminating professional development and continuing education. Often, these methods assume a set of attitudes and skills related to the computer as a pedagogic and communication tool. We argue that it is, however, important to measure the actual attitudes of…

This article describes a case study of an international collaboration between two classes of fifth grade students through an online discussion platform with one group more experienced in online knowledge building activities than the other. Before the collaboration, the novice class tended to produce isolated notes filled with information and…

Adequacy as a concept or philosophy has recently emerged as part of school finance literature and policy in South Africa. Broadly defined as sufficient input levels to ensure student achievement of learning goals, adequacy has roots in school finance litigation in the United States of America. A review of school finance literature shows different…

The rate of adoption of mobile technologies in Africa's developing countries is amongst the highest in the world and by 2005 there may be almost 100 billion mobile users in Africa (Keegan, 2002; Brown, 2005). This is just one of the reasons why servicing distance students in this country through m-learning support tools should enjoy…

Information technology has been changing the academy for the past fifty years, but those changes are small compared with what can be expected in the next fifty years. Three relatively recent IT "subrevolutions" have had an increasing impact on research, scholarly communication, and education. These are namely: (1) "PC subrevolution" that began in…

Special education research has undergone one of the most significant developments in the history of education during the past two decades (Gersten, Vaughn, Deshler, & Schiller, 1997). These developments can be related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 and the resulting knowledge about teaching individuals with…

A content analysis of 46 early learning standards documents developed by state-level organizations and available for review in January 2005 was conducted to determine the specific areas of development addressed within the standards documents. The authors contend that this type of analysis is important because early learning standards that define…

Teacher implementation of the Accelerated Reader Program is as widespread as it is diverse in terms of classroom and campus application. This manuscript highlights the findings of an informal, pilot study that examined four categories regarding the Accelerated Reader Program. The categories include: (1) assessment; (2) aesthetics and text…

Distance education, due to recent technological innovations, can provide almost the same instructional contact and interaction for the student as traditional settings. The growth of distance learning opportunities has allowed students to access courses and degree programs at their convenience. Educational institutions are creating new approaches…