The Inmate Editor of "The ECHO," a newspaper for 50,000 inmates in the Texas Prison System, describes teaching an illiterate young prisoner to read and write; states that the majority of inmates are barely literate; and urges teachers never to discount their own impact as role models and to infect children with the desire to know. (MLF)

A discussion of mathematics anxiety and learned helplessness in mathematics focuses on student failure and avoidance in college mathematics learning. It explores possible causes and suggests classroom activities to foster students' interest and success. (MSE)

Suggests the use of key historical antisocial acts to teach social studies concepts as a means of arousing the interest of adolescents. Recommends overcoming initial sensationalism by shifting emphasis to more appropriate interests. Includes discussion of the Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy assassinations and the Rosenberg spy case. Suggests…

Presents classroom activities using banknotes to teach history and social studies. Suggests that students' interest in money can be utilized to teach about geography, national heroes, symbolism, and the image a nation wishes to present to its citizens and the rest of the world. Lists sources for obtaining banknotes and directories to help identify…

One of the challenges in teaching biochemistry is facilitating students' interest in and mastery of metabolism. The many pathways and modes of regulation can be overwhelming for students to learn and difficult for professors to teach in an engaging manner. We have found it useful to take advantage of prevailing interest in popular yet…

This Classroom Idea-Sparker was submitted by Dorothy L. Haggerty, Associate Professor of Professional Practice, University of New Orleans. Too often, students are bored with science. Irrelevant facts, numerous definitions, and confusing diagrams clutter the student's mind. To help motivate students, teachers should, instead, choose fun,…

Collaborating closely with a 10th-grade science teacher, we designed a Web-based learning environment (Web-LE) to improve student motivation to learn science. Factors believed to enhance intrinsic motivation (challenge, control, curiosity, and fantasy) were integrated into the instructional design of the Web-based learning tool. The Web-LE was…

Designed for teachers of kindergarten through grade 6, this book contains practical and innovative ideas on fostering literacy generated from discussions with teachers from the United States and Canada, visits to their classrooms, and observations of their interactions with students. The book addresses all levels of learner-centered literacy…

A classroom technique for helping elementary and secondary school students of English as a second language (ESL) integrate language skills into the language arts curriculum is described. The activity, shadow play, is used as a culminating experience in a unit on the solar system, and consists of the development of dramatic scripts based on folk…

Dealing with student motivation in the reading curriculum, this paper begins by discussing why motivation is important. Next it explores reasons for lack of motivation and ways to remedy the problem, including teacher enthusiasm; appropriate reading materials; variety in teaching methods; balance among cognitive, affective, and psychomotor…

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)

Discusses the history and development of teaching machines, invented to restore the important features of personalized instruction as public school class size increased. Examines teaching and learning problems over the past 50 years, including motivation, attention, appreciation, discovery, and creativity in relation to programmed instruction.…

Games are motivating instructional resources that provide opportunities to learn and practice map, group work, and communication skills. Using the designs of popular commercial, folk, or media games, teachers can create games for their classroom that support geographic education. Many games can be used by students on their own before and during…

Review of experimental evidence concerning the effectiveness of problem-based learning suggests that the approach may not improve content-free problem solving; may initially reduce learning levels but fosters long-term retention; may enhance transfer of concepts and integration of concepts into clinical problems; enhances intrinsic interest of…

Research and theory suggest that college students' motivation to learn is related to their epistemological beliefs. Faculty can promote student motivation by designing learning activities that facilitate student development of more sophisticated epistemological beliefs. Faculty developers can assist in this by giving special attention to the…