Critiques contemporary efforts to reform Chicano education, premised on "affirmational" education (use of cultural role models to reinforce self-concept) and "reformational" education (increased minority participation in educational institutions). Proposes a "transformational" education encompassing a bifurcated…

Student perceptions of the kind and extent of control in their teachers' control behaviours during learning activities were investigated. Theorists distinguish between "student-initiated" and "teacher-initiated" regulation of students' learning activities; or between "strong," "shared" and "loose"…

While there has been a significant amount of research on technical issues regarding the development of agent-based learning environments (e.g., see the special issue of Journal of "Interactive Learning Research," 10(3/4)), there is less information regarding cognitive foundations for these environments. The management of control is a prime issue…

Faced with uncertain budgets and increasing pressure from high-stakes testing, among other challenges, educators easily can fall into the trap of equating teaching with the presentation of information and then blaming students when outcomes are inadequate. To move beyond this simplistic approach, educators must continue developing as teachers who…

"Differentiating Instruction With Menus Grades 3-5" offers teachers everything they need to create a student-centered learning environment based on choice. Addressing the four main subject areas (language arts, math, science, and social studies) and the major concepts taught within these areas, these books provide a number of different types of…

The Science Foundation Programme (SFP) at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg attempts to address past educational inequalities by providing disadvantaged matriculants with the skills, resources and self-confidence needed to embark on their tertiary studies. Students entering the Programme typically adopt a surface approach to…

How learners learn to take responsibility for their own learning remains a challenge for educators. One concept that has not been widely considered that we propose is an important requirement in successful independent learning is the concept of Gumption (Pirsig, 1974). Gumption is all about initiative and creativity, zeal and vigour--the practical…

Fluency instruction can be seamlessly incorporated into any elementary classroom with the help of this indispensable guide. Provided are fluency development ideas that are effective and motivating, including whole-class and small-group lessons, student-managed activities, and procedures involving classroom volunteers. The emphasis on partner-based…

This article describes an afterschool program called "Poetic High" in which the author shares insights on the transformation of oneself as a teacher into more of a guide and a mentor. It outlines the process of transforming the attitudes of students from being passive learners into being poets of learning and life. The Poetic High created by this…

Interactivity in the classroom is reported to promote a more active learning environment, facilitate the building of learning communities, provide greater feedback for lecturers, and help student motivation. Various definitions of interactivity exist in the literature, alternately focusing on the participants, structure and technology. The "PLS…

The American education system and its rigorous accountability and performance standards continually force educators to explore new ways to increase student achievement. The improvement in computer technology and intelligent computing systems may offer new tools for student learning and higher academic achievement. These systems have the potential…

When students feel that their learning needs are not being met by computer-aided instruction, learning becomes passive, often resulting in boredom, frustration or a dislike for learning with computers. "Button Theory" allows the student to express his feelings and questions to the computer at the touch of a button, thus enhancing control over the…

The Interactive Multimedia Distance Learning (IMDL) project evolved from discussions between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) (New York) and AT&T about how to use the strengths of AT&T's Bell Laboratories and RPI's Anderson Center for Innovation in Undergraduate Education (CIUE) to collaborate on a project in the domain of computers…

In a method of decentering used in a freshman composition course, collaborative workshopping is employed, beginning with the first meeting, pairing students with semester-long colleagues. Students critique each other's writing at the second class meeting. Differentiating this approach from others is a pedagogy that sees collaboration and…

This paper discusses the concept of "study reading" as used at a learning disabilities clinic at the University of Southampton, England. Study reading is defined as attentive reading to learn and remember, as different from reading that is performed simply to follow a narrative or browsing for one's own, self-set purposes. Results…