Examines the Relevance-Competence-Desire (RCD) model of training needs assessment to speculate about the instructional design implications of interactions among these components. Ways in which different types of instruction can be designed to capitalize on various configurations of perceptions of relevance, competence, and desire exhibited by…

Three relatively simple conceptual frameworks are suggested to help trainers diagnose optimum learning situations. At their present stage of development, the models are theories that have not been empirically tested. The models are titled the Integral Learner, Understanding versus Application, and the Diagnostic Cube. (CT)

Modeling is an important step in the engineering process. In this activity, students create a model of an object of their choice using LEGOs (plastic building blocks), giving them skills and practice in techniques used by professionals. Students sketch as they build their objects. This activity facilitates a discussion on models and their…

The social psychological constructs postulated by Garner, Clement et al. are integrated into a proposed new framework of second/foreign language (L2) learning motivation. The proposed model comprises three levels: language, learner, and learning situation. Practical examples for motivating L2 learners are presented. (55 references) (LB)

The Department of Education's Secondary School Recognition Program (SSRP) was developed to identify and recognize unusually effective public secondary schools and, through publicity and other means, encourage the emulation of their successful programs, policies, and practices by practitioners in other schools. This directory describes a small…

Explains how to debrief students after participation in simulation and/or other educational games. Debriefing should increase students' ability to experience, identify, analyze, and generalize. (Author/DB)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), a system intended to nurture behavioral giftedness without reliance on gifted identification procedures. The study found SEM positively influenced the attitudes of elementary school students (n=1,935) in six middle class schools. SEM may provide schoolwide benefits…

This paper discusses theories and techniques of motivation in the context of special education. Cognitive, need/drive and instinct theories are discussed, as are contributing factors such as self-concept and anxiety. Classroom techniques such as peer tutoring and intrinsic vs. extrinsic reinforcement are considered in terms of these theories. (PB)

A three-step process for teaching situational problem-solving and critical thinking to learning disabled adolescents is described: (1) Motivation (recognizing the problem and the importance of solving it); (2) Association (relating the problem to similar past situations); (3) Processing (identifying possible solutions and choosing the most…

Five pieces focus on task commitment in gifted students. A discussion on assessment of task commitment is followed by articles from the perspectives of kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers and a parent. (CL)

This paper discusses the two important domains affecting the success of learning strategy training for students with learning disabilities or other mild handicaps: students' knowledge of critical skills and information potentially related to strategy use, and students' motivation to learn and use the strategy. The paper presents an eight-stage…

Presents a play for sixth graders which emphasizes the importance of school to educational goals. The play is a fantasy in which a middle school student and a superhero companion tour the world of careers. Follow-up activities are suggested. (JAC)

This discussion of learning motivation focuses on the four basic concepts of the ARCs Motivation Model: getting learners' attention, showing relevance, building confidence, and generating satisfaction. Strategies for dealing with these concerns are suggested. The second article in this series will deal with the design process. (LRW)

A teacher of writing in English as a second language shares techniques and exercises that have inspired students to revise the rhetoric, vocabulary, and grammar of their own writing. They include: having students write about an unfamiliar classmate and having the classmate check the description for accuracy; distributing a model essay (Bertrand…

This book presents Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI), a research-supported framework for integrating curriculum with instruction and fostering long-term engagement in reading. According to the book, CORI is a practical model that helps K-6 teachers plan integrated units of instruction based on their own interests and strengths as well as…