This study is based on data collected during 6 years (12 semesters) in the secondary science methods courses at an urban university in Southern California. The secondary science credential candidates were teaching on emergency permits or internship credentials in local urban secondary schools. They taught science during the day and pursued their…

Over the past two decades the interest and use of student portfolios for assessing student learning outcomes has grown considerably. This paper presents an overview of the portfolio approach to outcome assessment adopted by the Department of Management at California State University, San Bernardino and discusses major issues encountered over six…

This study explored the practices of two high school teachers of U.S. history and their students' performance on evidence-based history essays over 7 months. Data include pre- and posttest essays, interviews, observations, teacher feedback, assignments, and readings. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of 42 students' work show that one class…

The Department of Accounting at California State University Northridge (CSUN) has developed a unique sequence of courses designed to ensure that accounting students are trained not only in technical accounting, but also acquire critical thinking, research and communication skills. The courses have proven effective and have embedded assessment…

Approaching reflection from the perspective of a teachable skill set implies that research may inform how to help students reflect. Employing a framework of making connections often used in reading comprehension, this study aimed to characterize how making connections between the service-learning experience (SLE) and prior experiences in similar…

This article explores commonalties between literacy instruction and learning to understand the symbolic languages of the visual and performing arts. A detailed case study of an urban professional development program for secondary arts teachers looks at the learning initiated by writing assignments that prompted students to reflect on arts…

The "Vocabulary Improvement Program for English Language Learners and Their Classmates" ("VIP") is a vocabulary development curriculum for English language learners and native English speakers (grades 4-6). The 15-week program includes 30-45 minute whole class and small group activities, which aim to increase students'…

This study investigates the effects of integrating literacy instruction with biology coursework on high school student learning. It would investigate the relationship between the growth in reading achievement and biology learning. It will target schools serving especially large populations of African American and Latino students. The project will…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Confronting the Autism Epidemic: New Expectations for Children with Autism Means a New Role for Public Schools (Kate McKenna); (2) Internet Research 101:…

View Park Preparatory High School, a charter school serving low-income urban students in Los Angeles, makes critical thinking the center of its literacy curriculum. The school's literacy program has a single, measurable goal: By graduation, every student will be able to write a 500-word sustained argument free of mechanical error, reflecting his…

A study examined the relationship between writing activities and historical learning by elementary school students. Subjects in schools in the San Francisco Bay area were drawn from third-grade classrooms from a predominantly working class neighborhood, a mixed fourth-grade class of mostly limited-English-proficient children of immigrants from…

This article reports the technical quality of a measure describing the quality of classroom assignments piloted in the Los Angeles Unified School District's proposed new accountability system. For this study, 181 teachers were sampled from 35 schools selected at random. Participating teachers submitted three language arts assignments with samples…

DESIGNED FOR USE BY 10TH GRADE STUDENTS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE LEVEL I TEXT, THIS VOLUME ALSO COMPRISES 15 LESSON UNITS PLUS APPENDED INDEXES AND A SECTION ON WRITING NEW CHINESE CHARACTERS. THESE MATERIALS WERE DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CHINESE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION IN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ACCORDING TO THEIR…

Illustrates the importance of students knowing how to effectively search electronic resources. Discusses a Web site created at Chico High School and describes the three major components of the organization of electronic resources (outreach, training, and planning interview). Gives an example of a class research assignment and discusses other…

THE FORMAT OF LEVEL III (FOR GRADE 11) DIFFERS FROM THAT OF LEVELS I AND II IN HAVING 20 UNITS AND IN THE INCREASED EMPHASIS ON READING AND WRITING SKILLS. THE AUTHORS' GOAL WAS TO ENCOURAGE SELF-STUDY BY THE STUDENT, ESPECIALLY IN LEARNING TO READ CHINESE CHARACTERS. THE GRAMMAR DISCUSSED IN THIS TEXT INCLUDES POINTS PRESENTED IN LEVELS I AND II…