Describes a collaborative project that allows students to explore the role of culture in child development and education through an in-depth study of mathematics education in the United States and Asia. Reports that the assignment is effective in helping students to understand cultural influences and the ecological model of child development. (DSK)

Reminiscence of a graduate education class that shifted students' focus from right answers to understanding illustrates how Foxfire teachers are never finished constructing their knowledge about teaching. Similarly, there is no single correct way to implement the Foxfire approach. Success is measured by the applications and interpretations of…

Describes active learning activities that can be useful in college faculty development workshops, including three activity types: introductory exercises (personal introductions, goal-setting, warm-ups); problem-solving activities (brainstorming, hands-on exercises, reflection); and closure (consolidating concepts, cognitive mapping,…

Provides an overview of virtual reality from an education perspective. Defines the technology in terms of equipment and participatory experience, examines the potential applications of virtual reality in education and training, and considers the concerns and limitations of the technology. Overall, research indicates that virtual reality offers…

Describes two civics lessons for elementary school students that use the World Wide Web: (1) kindergarten and first-grade students research the White House as a means to understanding the office of the presidency; and (2) fourth and fifth graders examine viewpoints about public issues discussed by presidential candidates. (CMK)

Provides two teaching activities to help students analyze political debates from a curriculum for middle and high schools called "Presidential Debates: A Teacher's Guide". Designed by the Commission on Presidential Debates and Kids Voting USA, it includes : (1) "The Techniques of Persuasion"; and (2) "It's Your Turn to be a Political Reporter."…

Describes a CD-ROM version of a basic course in exercise physiology that was developed in the United Kingdom to overcome problems of staff time, expense, ethical considerations, and large student numbers. Compares it to a traditional course and concludes that adding more active learning approaches to the CD-ROM would enhance student learning. (LRW)

Believes that the key to teaching is viewing students as great learners, not as the teacher being a great teacher. Reflects on the experience of teaching and relates the teaching style and approaches used by the author in the classroom. (CMK)

Reports on a collaborative, qualitative evaluation of a teaching and learning strategy based on storytelling and acting in an early childhood education course at the University of Wyoming. Concludes that the storytelling and acting strategy elicits a high level of student engagement and that this strategy is most effective when used in combination…

Map making is an exercise in spatial relationships, perspective, and direction, and also can increase students' knowledge of their community and sense of place. In a Roger Tory Peterson Institute program, children map the environment around their school and simultaneously learn science, mathematics, language arts, and social studies. Describes…

Provides a basic framework for the design and delivery of a U.S. history course that consists of eight topics for the upper middle or secondary school level. Explains that teachers can develop each of the topics thematically in an in-depth manner. Discusses how project-based learning can support this type of thematic instruction. (CMK)

This study, based on data from the National Study of Student Learning, examines factors that influence undergraduates' academic library use during the first three years of college. Undergraduates' high school library use, student-faculty interactions, and active learning and engaged writing activities predicted library use for all three years of…

Students at Jamestown High School (Jamestown, New York) develop language, media, and critical thinking skills while producing video programs. With almost complete responsibility for their learning experiences, students conceive, plan, write, and produce the programs, then critique their own work, which must satisfy state academic standards in…

Educational technology supports meaningful learning and enables the presentation of spatial and dynamic images, which portray relationships among complex concepts. The Technology-Enabled Active Learning (TEAL) Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) involves media-rich software for simulation and visualization in freshman…

This article presents a case study of ICT implementation within a teacher education programme in Norway. The background and context are described, including a brief discussion of the characteristics of contemporary family life in Norway and the experiences and expectations of students with respect to the use of information technology in schools.…