Studied the extent to which written diagnostic questions can be used to assess science students' representations of the nature of science using responses of 731 European upper secondary and undergraduate students. Results suggest that the majority of students draw on different epistemological representations in different contexts. (SLD)

Transition courses for licensed practical nurses moving into associate degree programs and for registered nurses earning bypass credit in bachelor's degree programs was evaluated through surveys of 237 students and graduates, 68 supervisors, and faculty. Students invested half the time and money as regular students; they wanted better advisement…

Discusses educational computer advertising developed by information and communications technology (ICT) firms in the United Kingdom, arguing that such advertisements present a disempowering view of teachers, which may well impact teacher use of instructional technology. The paper highlights four dominant themes: ICT as problematic and problem…

Questions the claims by advocates of educational assessment reform, highlighting the work of Wiggins, who introduced authentic assessment. Discusses the origins of authentic tests, authenticity and validity, and assessment and educational philosophy, concluding that promotion of authentic assessment is flawed because "authentic" is misleading, and…

Interviews 36 practicing teachers, using phenomenological methods to examine what, when, where, and to whom teachers offer choice. Final results focus on the following main points: teachers believe that choice promotes learning and motivation; choice is used in a number of ways; and teachers impose limits on classroom choice based on student age,…

Traces the development and pedagogical theory of the case study method. Offers an overview of current discourse on its effectiveness. Presents results from a quasi-experiment. Finds that students exposed to the case method improved their problem solving skills measurably and significantly over a 15-week semester, outperforming the control group…

Considers what kind of classroom environment must be created to encourage first grade students to choose to read and write. Describes how the author changed her classroom arrangement, dividing it into 7 centers: the science center; information center; computer center; library center; family room; learning center, and the writing center. (SG)

Discusses how educators must begin to appreciate home culture as a key factor in school success. Reflects on the author's own personal experiences and struggles in his first experiences learning to read. Presents instructional approaches for working with culturally diverse learners. Considers the social context of learning to read. (SG)

This article discusses how online expeditions, situated in authentic environments, can be an effective and exciting way to help students learn in constructivist environments. Issues related to assessing student performance in online expeditions are explored and examples of assessment that can be used in these problem-based learning environment are…

Identifies four approaches to cultural diversity that professors at institutions of higher education may take. These are neutrality, similarity, diversity, and diversimilarity. Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each of these approaches, and argues for the diversimilarity approach, using the teaching of the death penalty (and examination…

Contends that many national schools are trying to establish an international mindset, while researchers in the field of International Education have found little uniformity in such institutions. Asserts that meeting standards, such as those of the Alliance for International Education, would provide a clearer idea of what constitutes quality for…

Analyzed the 1994 Grade 4 Maryland National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) regarding the effects on reading achievement and engagement of: students' amount of engaged reading, parental education, gender, balanced reading instruction, and reading opportunities. Amount of engaged reading predicted reading achievement after controlling for…

Students' motor performance can be enhanced through the use of mental imagery. This article presents nine ways that physical education teachers and coaches can use mental imagery to accomplish various outcomes. These include imagery for: learning, performing, focusing, self-confidence, motivation, arousal, changing negatives into positives,…

This study of thirteen-year-old students from Hong Kong assessed the efficacy of several different instructional activities using data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Discusses teaching activities, homework activities, classroom activities, and cooperative learning. Six tables of data are appended. (Contains 24…

Offers instructors a model for presenting meta-analysis to students within an undergraduate experimental psychology course that can be covered in approximately 90 minutes. Discusses the prerequisites for teachers and students, outlines a lecture, and describes an in-class exercise that gives students practice in meta-analytic procedures. Offers an…