The purpose of this study was to identify whether the strategy of using hands-on science process skills training in an elementary science methods course was effective in: (1) reducing preservice elementary teachers' (PETs') anxiety about teaching hands-on science activities, and (2) changing PETs' concerns about teaching hands-on science…

Traditional Chinese personality characteristics such as inner harmony, concern for others, submissiveness to authority, and respect for learning so pervade Chinese biographies that they constitute cultural themes. In order to determine whether such themes are more evident in Chinese than in Western youth, a cross-cultural study of self-concept was…

This paper anlyzes the new elementary school mathematics curriculum materials being implemented in Taiwan. A list of objectives involving whole numbers is given for each semester in grades 1 through 5, with the time noted for each unit. Improved teaching methods, the use of the abacus and of technology, the roles of problem solving and estimation,…

Harter's Perceived Competence Scale for Children was administered to 714 Taiwanese fifth graders; results were compared with those from American samples. Cultural differences were found. Results among Chinese replicate the measures' factorial validity and, across the two groups, indicate a high correlation between perceived cognitive competence…

Assessed gender and age differences in self-esteem of Taiwanese children in grades four through six. Found that boys exceeded girls in confidence in physical abilities, but were less satisfied with their conduct; confidence in scholastic and athletic competence and global self-worth declined with age. Found that scholastic competence, physical…

Describes a study of fifth-grade Taiwanese students that examined the instructional effects of two grouping methods, cooperation with or without inter-group competition, on student academic achievement and pro-social behaviors in a computer-based science learning environment. Discusses implications for cooperative learning. (Author/LRW)

Instructional planning is an essential professional activity often used by teachers. However, some characteristics of existing university-based teacher education programs may hamper pre-service teachers' learning of instructional planning. Thus, this study adopts the cognitive apprenticeship as a theoretical foundation to construct a web-based…

As a result of Taiwan's peculiar political situation, national identity has become a crucial and controversial issue in the history curriculum. This chapter analyzes the changing role of nationalism in the history curriculum from 1980 onwards, focusing on the ways in which politics has affected the history curriculum. In particular, it examines…

This study investigated the teaching and learning behaviors of elementary school teachers and students, ascertaining student teachers' ratings of the observed behavior and comparing student teachers' and elementary teachers' ratings of behavior. A total of 84 elementary teachers and 25 third-year science education majors from Taiwan participated…

Twenty-one elementary school teachers from Taiwan and 53 elementary school teachers from the New York metropolitan area were interviewed to compare the structure of talented and gifted programs (TAG), their strengths and weaknesses, and provisions for program evaluation. Results indicated few differences between the gifted students, their work…

This report describes the outcomes of a study that investigated how Chinese educators and researchers have implemented programs for the gifted in 11 elementary schools (28 teachers and 112 gifted students), in Taiwan. The most frequently used alternatives for gifted students in Taiwan were found to be separate classes and pull-out programs. A…

Fourth grade Taiwan students (94 males and 97 females) completed 2 cognitive risk-taking tasks with variable payoff or fixed payoff in a game or test context. Both variable payoff and game context increased the level of academic risk taking. Results are discussed concerning interactions between ability and risk taking. (SLD)

Many elementary EFL teachers in Taiwan have concerns in integrating target culture teaching into their language classrooms for reasons such as teachers' limited knowledge of the target culture, lack of time, lack of methods and materials. In order to persuade more language teachers to teach target language culture, guidelines about designing an…

This study investigated relationships between willingness to teach and selected variables including personal, familial, school, and social factors among teachers of the mentally retarded in Taiwan. Participants included 527 elementary and junior high school teachers of the mentally retarded. Personal factors statistically correlated with teaching…

This study investigated reasons reported by elementary and junior high school teachers of students with mental retardation for continuing to work in the field of special education. The study thus sought to identify factors that might be helpful in finding ways to reduce the turnover rate of this population of teachers in Taiwan. Interviews with 27…