Fractions are an important mathematical concept for both more advanced mathematical concepts and daily living activities (e.g., cooking) and thus are important for all students to learn. In this study, researchers explored the use of the virtual-abstract (VA) instructional sequence to teach three middle school students with disabilities three…

After a grueling grading campaign, a chemist asked a writing and rhetoric specialist for help improving formal reports in the introductory organic chemistry lab. Together, we realized that the very best student reports employ many persuasive moves in the combined results and discussion subsection, whereas weaker papers omit the persuasive…

The infrared camera, or thermal imaging camera, can be used to complement the teaching of a number of topics in high school science. Here, we provide seven examples of its application in teaching physics, chemistry and biology concepts at high school level. We also discuss its strengths for such applications and provide some pointers for science…

Our field has generally reached a consensus that active-learning approaches improve student success; however, there is a need to explore the ways that particular instructional approaches affect various student groups. We examined the relationship between gender and student learning outcomes in one context: inquiry-oriented abstract algebra. Using…

This paper focuses on the emergence of abstraction through the use of a new kind of motion detector--WiiGraph--with 11-year-old children. In the selected episodes, the children used this motion detector to create three simultaneous graphs of position vs. time: two graphs for the motion of each hand and a third one corresponding to their…

Courses: Public Speaking. Objectives: This unit aims to (1) illustrate the classical and contemporary utility of "ekphrasis" ("description") as a genre of civic communication; and (2) introduce students to essential skills in public speaking, including invention, arrangement, and, in particular, style

This paper proposes the theoretical context for a course development framework to address the specific needs and challenges of teaching and learning in interdisciplinary studies (IDS). User-centred design (UCD) principles are used for this development process. Traditional course development frameworks provide a helpful guide in terms of setting…

This article describes an inquiry-oriented real analysis classroom in which students were guided to discover mathematics for themselves. To support student inquiry, the framework of "five practices" from K-12 education was used. To illustrate this framework, two case examples are given from actual discussions that took place in this…

Vygotsky (1993) first identified the theory of 'Defectology' to understand and describe children with special and additional needs, but essentially categorized them as 'defective' (Bartlett et al., 2004; Thomazet, 2009). It is with Vygotsky's theory in mind that inclusive education frameworks in Kosovo and Russia are critically examined: whilst…

Error analysis consumes much of the focus in introductory physics labs. Catastrophic cancellation is a spike in error that occurs when subtracting two measurements of roughly equal magnitude. Often termed "loss of significance" or "subtractive cancellation," this effect can easily relegate experimental results to utter…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have few employment opportunities and a lower job quality than individuals of typical development. Social deficits and lack of independence may contribute to underemployment and unemployment of individuals with ASD. The ability to solve problems might ameliorate some of these barriers. We…

Teaching with acoustical guidance involves auditory feedback (e.g., a click sound when a desired behavior occurs) as part of a multicomponent intervention known as TAGteach. TAGteach has been found to improve performance in sport, dance, surgical technique, and walking. We compared the efficacy and efficiency of the standard TAGteach…

Purpose: Global climate change (GCC) impacts agriculture through food production. Promoting the understanding about GCC among agricultural educators is imperative. While substantive research exists for the knowledge, conceptions, and beliefs of science teachers, few studies focus on agriculture educators. This research investigates the…

In the mid-Meiji period, the leading scholar Kato Hiroyuki proposed relying on religion in moral education as he was dissatisfied with the Ministry of Education's inclination towards Western ethics in their reform. Triggered by Kato's proposal, there arose an intense debate over the 'standard' for moral education in the educational circles. The…

A positive, pre-speech self-talk experience was used to assess the influence on student performance anxiety in a variety of disciplines. The findings suggest that having students recite aloud a self-affirming statement in unison immediately prior to delivery of a required speech or presentation provides a greater reduction in performance anxiety…