History as a social science does not need to be dull. A method which has had great success in a survey course of modern American history has been the use of oral history techniques in studying the Depression. Students responded enthusiastically and their projects formed a valuable nucleus of the school's oral history project. (Author/JDS)

The goal of the video in the classroom video project at an elementary school was to increase student achievement by making learning come alive to students, have learners actively engaged in the process of learning through authentic learning experiences, and make that learning have meaning to their lives. Fifth grade students created group video…

This article consists of the second part of an interview with John Sole and David Schrader on the Redesign of the High Schools in Philadelphia: Integrating Project Project-Based Learning and the Architectural Process January 2006. The first segment examined the work of educator John Sole. He emphasizes an active, self-directed project-based,…

The Internet is a resource that allows English as a Second Language (ESL) students to communicate meaningfully in English. One way to combine the Internet with teaching English is to give students a group or individual assignment to make their own Web pages. As they complete these assignments, they can develop skills in searching out resources on…

This book is designed to guide students through a step-by-step process of looking at interests, finding an area of research, and narrowing it down to an appropriate topic for an independent project. It is also intended to help students choose a project in which they can share their research with others. Section 1, "Charting a Course," includes a…

Research on effective beginning reading instruction has helped to define what instructional methods and content are most valuable. The research has shown that three important aspects of beginning reading instruction are alphabetic principles, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. A review of research in Part 1 of this Technical Paper…

For years, criticism of education in the United States has focused on the nation as ethnocentric. Schools can maximize their students' multicultural experiences by developing curricula that heighten global consciousness and responsibility. This book is intended as a guide for unlocking the treasures of the world. The book offers current resources…

Although role playing games and self-awareness surveys are typical methods of developing cross-cultural sensitivity, this presentation advocates the use small group projects focusing on feature films such as "Fools Rush In" as an effective class or training exercise to develop sensitivity to other cultures. Despite some disadvantages…

This study explored first-year distance education students' experiences in an innovative early childhood "Teachers as Researchers" class that required a collaborative student research project. Distance education students comprised about 25 percent of the total class, and requirements for on-site and distance students were kept as similar as…

This activity plan for fifth graders posits that the student is an agent for the King and Queen and are authorized to make a journey to the New World on behalf of the kingdom. The mission is to claim all land for the monarchy, locate a new trading route across the ocean, look for the Northwest Passage, and bring back gold, silver, spices, new…

Freshmen often approach research papers by selecting a "giant topic" and going to the library to confront swamps and mountains of resources. A different approach to teaching research is designed to help students begin to shift the often counter-productive paradigm under which they operate. The classroom strategy proposed is 3-fold.…

Prominent school-to-work observers see a close connection between service-learning and school-to-work programs. Major components of service-learning are as follows: active student participation, thoughtfully organized experiences, focus on community needs and school/community coordination, academic curriculum integration, structured time for…

Standards documents produced by professional educational organizations on the best ways to teach reading and writing have been synthesized by Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (1998). They recommend that teachers provide: more active learning in the classroom; more diverse roles for teachers; more emphasis on higher order thinking; more deep study of a…

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a computer application for urban planning, weather reporting, and geological and demographic studies. This book takes teachers and students to the cutting edge of teaching social studies and environmental education using GIS. Students can use GIS as a tool to explore, question, integrate, analyze, interpret,…

Team-based student projects have become an intrinsic part of coursework in information technology courses. The rationale is that once students enter the work environment they will be required to work in teams. Challenges of teamwork are reviewed and factors influencing student team performance are identified. An approach is described which deals…