In production-function studies, inputs (like teacher salaries) trump inputs contributing directly to educational output (like books or instructional materials). Educators prefer inputs that benefit them. Parents have been insufficiently strong on behalf of books. Increasing parent influences over expenditure allocations might increase schools'…

Describes Miller's book as a well-organized and clearly written text for beginning students. Notes that a unique feature of the book is its incorporation of case studies to illustrate important concepts such as inclusion, and maintains that the book is a sensible choice for undergraduates in teacher-preparation programs. (KB)

The current obsession with standardizing curricula and measuring output may further reduce teacher agency and marginalize segments of our society that are already cheated by the system. Enormous discrepancies exist among public-school facilities, resources, and teachers. Multicultural education will suffer unless legislatures address these…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) shows U.S. 4th graders scoring above the international average in both math and science, 8th graders slipping in both subjects, and 12th graders scoring at or near the bottom. Research indicates high expectations, a focused curriculum, better-prepared teachers, and balanced instruction…

Addresses the impact of the growing internationalism of the period from 1930 to 1954 on music education that found its expression in an increased number of Eastern European and Latin American folk songs in music textbooks and finally flowered into the creation of the International Society for Music Education in 1949. (CMK)

Identifies 13 administrative issues that arise when teaching distance education courses with students enrolled through other higher education institutions. Highlights include administrative models; academic cultures; academic calendars; registration processes; text books and additional readings; library resources; course materials; copyright…

Most people are frustrated with the current scientific method presented in textbooks. The scientific method--a simplistic model of the scientific inquiry process--fails in most cases to provide a successful guide to how science is done. This is not shocking, really. Many simple models used in science are quite useful within their limitations. When…

Sociocultural theories of learning such as Wenger and Lave's situated learning have been suggested as alternatives to cognitive theories of learning like constructivism. This article examines situated learning within the context of computer science (CS) education. Situated learning accurately describes some CS communities like open-source software…

This study compared two approaches for teaching sixth-grade middle school students to solve math problems in math, technology education, and special education classrooms. A total of 17 students with disabilities and 76 students without disabilities were taught using either enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) or text-based instruction coupled with…

Recent trends in English Language Teaching (ELT) research necessitates the study of coursebooks and instructional materials from various perspectives including but not limited to their cultural, social, and psychological qualities and effects (Kramsch 2000). Age, social class, and gender, as represented in coursebooks are studied because teachers…

The article explores the purpose and methods of teaching the personal narrative in foreign language classrooms. Following a cross-cultural comparison of the history, purpose, and form of autobiography in first-language contexts in the United States and Japan; a review of the place of personal narrative in second- and foreign-language composition…

In the past decade, Romania has passed through a profound educational reform. The main outcomes concern tangible progress concerning regulations and the curriculum. In spite of these impressive changes, gender sensitivity and gender fair policies have been largely absent from objectives, subjects, textbooks, assessment and evaluation. The…

Early in the 20th century, educators began looking for scientific methods for matching texts with readers. Some of the best minds in education dedicated themselves to this task, including Edward L. Thorndike, William S. Gray, Ralph Tyler, Edgar Dale, Irving Lorge, and Jeanne S. Chall. The purpose of this book is to bring students of reading into…

All children grow up within a cultural environment that influences their learning patterns and communication styles and how they interpret experiences, process and organize information, and perceive their surroundings. Culturally responsive instruction incorporates students' cultures and experiences into the classroom curriculum and uses their…

This article presents a critical analysis of language ideologies in the instructional discourse of Spanish for heritage speakers in the United States. We focus on the discourse present in prefaces and introductions to Spanish for heritage speakers textbooks published between 1970 and 2000. Whereas previous research on language ideologies in…