The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) commissioned TERC to complete a review of science education standards for all 50 states. The study analyzed K-12 Earth science standards to determine how well each state addresses key Earth-science content, concepts and skills. This report reveals that few states have thoroughly integrated…

Instructional reform movements in the 1990s called for an effective and concurrent integration of various educational components. For effective classroom instructional reform, it was suggested that teaching method (pedagogy), learning theory, and technology be promoted concurrently to form synergistic relationship. Thus, the primary purpose of…

The early years of school provide opportunities for active learning, including developing habits of resiliency and perceptions of self-worth. Girls in particular may be at risk for developing negative self-perceptions. This article presents a pilot group (psychoeducational and counseling) designed to educate members about pre-adolescent…

The author assesses what effects the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Teacher Education Collaborative (STEMTEC) Faculty Fellows learning community program had over the course of an academic year on fellows' familiarity with and use of active-learning methods and course design. Based on surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, and…

The principal focus of this study is an investigation of whether students' grade point average (GPA) is a viable criterion for forming student work groups in the undergraduate Legal Environment of Business course. More specifically, the research focuses on the impact of: (1) GPA-homogeneous (HO) and GPA-heterogeneous (HE) groups upon student…

This paper contrasts two types of "autodidact" located in the UK in different historical periods, which utilised different learning/research technologies to different ends. From the 1920s to the 1960s some working-class activists committed to the Communist Party of Great Britain became "educated" in Marxism (and more) through…

This paper is based on the experience of working alongside new practitioners with the role of learning mentor as they engage in a national training programme. It considers the issues raised by evaluation at a range of times within and beyond the training. The main factors that emerge from the data focus on the role of inspiration, creativity,…

Teacher educators have a challenging task of preparing students to enter today's classrooms. Teacher educators in family and consumer sciences (FCS) face unique challenges due to the diversity of content that comprises the discipline. It is imperative that FCS teacher educators use effective instructional methods. This article describes the use of…

A retrospective analysis examines the relationships between formative assessments and exam grades in two undergraduate geoscience courses. Pair and group-work grades correlate weakly with individual exam grades. Exam performance correlates to individual, weekly online assessments. Student attendance and use of assessment feedback are also…

Many of the primary aims of social studies education mesh with detracking reformers' goals of creating more equitable and democratic learning environments. However, little empirical data exist on detracked social studies classrooms. This article reports the results of a qualitative, cross-case comparison study of detracking in the ninth grade…

The research methods unit of survey psychology classes introduces important concepts of scientific reasoning and fluency, making it an ideal course in which to deliver enhanced curricula. To increase interest and engagement, the author developed an expanded research methods and statistics module to give students the opportunity to explore…

This study investigated the role that computer technology plays in transforming the learning process in higher education. Specifically, we looked at the relationship between computer-technology use, active learning, and perceived course effectiveness. The sample consisted of 1966 students in 81 graduate and undergraduate classes at a large, urban…

Education policymakers often go astray when they attempt to integrate multiple intelligences theory into schools, according to the originator of the theory, Howard Gardner, and his colleagues. The greatest potential of a multiple intelligences approach to education grows from the concept of a profile of intelligences. Each learner's intelligence…

Students in advanced psychopathology courses can learn key concepts by administering semistructured interviews designed to identify specific mental disorders. Such an active learning approach potentially can help students gain fundamental knowledge about psychopathology and begin to develop clinical and research skills. To explore the value of…

This article evaluates the use of instructor-created crossword puzzles as a means of reviewing course material. Students completed one crossword puzzle in class to prepare for an exam, and then they had the opportunity to complete a second crossword puzzle outside of class to prepare for the second exam. Students generally rated the crossword…