The use of technology such as laptop computers in the classroom has long been recognized as destructive behavior since it diverts a student's attention from course topics. However, it is conceivable that every student will be using some form of technology in the near future. Determining the effects of interactive software on students' learning…

Motivating adolescents to learn can be a challenge! Often distracted and easily bored, these kids are also critical thinkers capable of thriving in the classroom while learning 21st century skills. How do we hold their attention and develop their abilities? Research shows that all students--regardless of learning style, disability category, or…

This participatory action research study addressed questions of pedagogical strategies, motivation, assessment, and student choice surrounding an inquiry approach to teaching and learning in a 7th grade social studies classroom. Teacher and student data were collected over a 6-week inquiry project stemming from and directed by student choice. Data…

Late and limited organisational differentiation is a characteristic which has, until now, distinguished the structure of education -- including teacher education - in the Nordic countries from that of the rest of Europe. However, this tradition is now challenged by utilitarian ideologies, supported by international comparison tests such as PISA…

Learning science requires the understanding of concepts and formal relationships, processes that--in themselves--have been proved to be difficult for students as they seem to encounter substantial problems with most of the inquiry-learning processes in which they engage. Models in inquiry-based learning have been considered as powerful…

Educational institutions change slowly, and sometimes superficially at best. Large public (and sometimes smaller private) systems can be highly resistant to deep change. Schools are notorious for rearranging the desk chairs for a while, then reverting back to something very close to the original design. Even the most well-intentioned of…

The primary objective of the action research project discussed here was to monitor the implementation of an innovative course redesign in which the PebblePad e-portfolio system was used as the medium to support the introduction of self- and peer-based formative assessment strategies to approximately 170 students in the first year of a Bachelor of…

This study reports findings from a follow-up study involving mothers and early childhood professionals who completed participation in a 12-week, hands-on parent education program in the United States. In this program, mothers learned about positive guidance in a weekly seminar, and additionally practised implementing positive guidance in an early…

More and more teachers are facing the decision whether they should allow or promote students the use of technology in the classroom. The decision is difficult as there are apparently both advantages and disadvantages in doing either way. In terms of positive impacts, research revealed that the use of digital devices in the classroom setting was…

The University of Gloucestershire, located in the southwest of the United Kingdom, is a small university with approximately 7,500 full-time students and 400 teaching staff. It has three faculties, all with a professional or applied focus: (1) Media, Art, and Technology; (2) Business, Education, and Professional Studies; and (3) Applied Sciences.…

"It was helpful to keep track of questions we had at the beginning so we knew what we were trying to find out." With these words, a student described the value of using a Driving Question Board (DQB) in a project-based science (PBS) unit. This instructional tool is designed to support inquiry and project-based learning by organizing and focusing…

Undergraduate students often have difficulty understanding the way in which data moves across a TCP/IP network, such as the Internet. From the initial data request, to larger files being packetized and transmitted via multiple routes, the students can become lost in the details. These are important concepts for both introductory Management…

The study used a phenomenological approach guided by principles of the grounded theory approach to assess the impact of the Global Teenager learning circle on the educational life of students at Mucheke High School, in Zimbabwe. Since in grounded theory, theory comes from the data, the study explored, from students' point of view, how the…

Information and communication technology (ICT) programs like Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynote have become the norm for large university lecture classes, but their record in terms of student engagement and active learning is mixed at best. Here, the author presents the merits of a "populist" lecture style that takes full advantage of the…

Since the advent of PowerPoint and course delivery programs like Blackboard, more instructors in higher education are providing students with outlines of their lectures and expecting students to supplement these with their own notes. Although some have found that instructor-provided notes appear to enhance student learning, others suggest that…