The purpose of this study was to explore and investigate the ways faculty at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign use Networked Information Sources and Services to support their research task. Library and Information Sciences faculty at the University of Illinois were chosen as…

Using pre- and post-tests, parent surveys, and student interviews, an Illinois kindergarten teacher examined the effects of authentic literacy experiences on her students' reading and writing activity levels, perceptions about literacy, and emergent literacy skills. Students responded positively to hands-on literacy experiences. Sample checklists…

While doing action research, a library media teacher became the liaison between an Illinois elementary school and a homeless shelter. She developed a resource guide for local teachers that inspired a statewide publication effort. Now she works on a statewide committee to educate school systems about homeless children's rights. (12 references) (MLH)

A second-grade teacher conducted a study aimed at raising students' abilities to use certain strategies (predicting, questioning, and connecting to text) and at increasing their enthusiasm for reading via literature circles (book discussion groups). Test and rubric results, survey responses, and interview comments affirm literature circles' value.…

A small group of teachers at one Illinois high school is helping to effect and promote change. Through the Action Research Laboratory (ARL), teams of teachers conduct collaborative action research to improve classroom practices. Data from the first two years of the ARL indicate that teachers are eager to participate in, and have thrived in, their…

A seventh-grade teacher compared three current delivery systems associated with learning style and multiple intelligences: Beatrice McCarthy's "4MAT," Kathleen Butler's "The Learner's Dimension," and Carolyn Mamchur's "Cognitive Type Theory and Learning Style." All have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Gardner's…

A first-grade teacher investigated the use of daily poetry readings to help students develop certain characteristics of skilled readers, including fluency and comprehension. Students in a class receiving poetry-reading instruction had higher comprehension scores and reading levels than students in a control class receiving basal-reader…

A high school geometry teacher studied the alternative assessment literature, developed and tried alternative assessments such as portfolios in the classroom, evaluated students' and parents' satisfaction levels with these methods, and got feedback from those involved. While students initially had mixed reactions, over 90% of parents supported…

This document (book) reports on the Strategic Alliance to Advance Technological Education through Enhanced Mathematics, Science, Technology, and English Education at the Secondary Level, funded by National Science Foundation. It was a collaborative partnership involving the Rockford Public Schools, Rock Valley College, and Northern Illinois…