Discussed is some of the confusion encountered in electrochemistry due to misunderstandings of sign conventions and simple mathematical errors. Clarified are issues involving emf series, IUPAC sign conventions, calculation of cell potentials, reference electrodes, the polarity of electrodes in electrochemical devices, and overpotential. (CW)

Discusses personal reasons for using historical documents in history instruction. Proposes six reasons why the use of documents in the classroom yields positive learning results. Concentrates on how the use of documents motivates students to read. Provides an example of a document and explains how it is used in the classroom. (RW)

A fourth grade teacher commemorated Black History Month with a study of African culture and geography. Students were assigned to make a chosen African country come alive through an oral presentation. Finger puppets, which students outfitted in traditional tribal attire, were used to enhance the project. (SM)

The article describes ways to nurture gifted students without shortchanging the rest of the class. Curriculum compacting techniques allow teachers to plan for students with similar capabilities, determining which skills are already known, which need work, and what acceleration activities should be added. (SM)

Examines the theoretical underpinnings of the debate on the transferability of critical thinking skills and discusses methods of fostering critical thinking in the classroom. The foremost task in teaching critical thinking is fostering in students habits of inquiry which lead to a disposition to seek intellectual, moral, and social integration.…

This article describes conditions in schooling, particularly the brutality, for boys and girls during the European Renaissance of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The English philosopher, John Locke, proposed an alternative style and content with regard to the education of the young. Locke's views and their influence are discussed. (IAH)

Briefly reviews the development of Chinese library schools and describes the management and evaluation of library school faculty. The discussion covers problems with the current system and suggestions for improvements. A directory of departments of library and information science in China is included. (21 references) (CLB)

Explored are various aspects of drawing graphs on surfaces. The Euler's formula, Kuratowski's theorem and the drawing of graphs in the plane with as few crossings as possible are discussed. Some applications including embedding of graphs and coloring of maps are included. (YP)

Describes writing exercises that stimulate learning while not burdening the instructor. Discusses simulations in which students are asked to write a diary entry about the daily experiences of a 75-year-old, to formulate a marriage contract, and to write a letter to a friend describing the student's worst job experience. (KO)

Results from a study of 73 special education teachers in the Netherlands indicate that improving diagnostic reports, on newly admitted students, alone will not result in a greater use of the available data by teachers when they make educational plans and decisions. (IAH)

Evidence does not support the claim by certain critics that students lack cultural literacy because skills and processes are stressed at the expense of content, in both the classroom and teacher education programs. (IAH)

The Australian experience with school self-evaluation is reviewed, and projections are made concerning the future. Trends for both government and non-government schools are reviewed, and tools for periodic as well as ongoing self-evaluation are discussed. An increasing focus on the design of school management information systems is projected. (TJH)

The use of qualitative evaluation methods is explored as a means of overcoming constraints and complexities of evaluation of development programs. A case study demonstrating the application of qualitative analysis to monitoring and evaluation of the Basic Minimum Needs program in Thailand is presented. (SLD)

A method of analyzing test item responses is advocated to examine differential item functioning through distractor choices of those answering an item incorrectly. The analysis uses log-linear models of a three-way contingency table, and is illustrated in an analysis of the verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. (TJH)

The literature regarding cognitive prerequisites to communication development for nondisabled and disabled children is reviewed. Issues related to providing communication teaching programs for severely disabled children are discussed, and specific intervention strategies related to introduction of augmentative and alternative communication systems…