Reviews research about child development, curiosity, questioning, boredom, and social class differences, and the relationships between attitudes and capacities of the learners and the content and complexities of the materials. (See TM 504 595 for availability). (Author/CTM)

Examines the application of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences at the middle school level. Suggests that planning, teaching and assessment should be based upon learner's individual needs and intelligences, aiming to help develop particular intelligences and strengthen the existing ones. Proposes several learning activities for…

Incentive structures were observed in mainstream classes enrolling students labeled as low achieving, average achieving, and learning disabled (LD). Incentive structures were labeled academic engagement and behavioral management. Students with LD engaged in intermediate amounts of content-related process relative to other students. Teachers used…

Describes a middle school program that integrates history/social studies, language, and visual arts. Describes how the program links two different middle schools through electronic mail in their study of world cultures. Includes examples of student writing and descriptions of classroom activities. (CFR)

Examines relationships between student interests and aptitude in selected academic fields and their success in intensive courses on these subjects. Discusses a two-year study of 33 mathematics students and 32 literature students in the eighth and ninth grades in the Soviet Union. Shows that differentiated, intensive study did not strengthen…

Reports on a "What Works Workshop," held at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. Explains that the program brought together researchers and music teachers to explore problems of applying research findings to music classroom practice. Examines examples of research utilization that the workshop clarified. Lists strategies that workshop…

Describes two programs (College-for-a-Day and Scholars Club) to encourage higher education as a realistic goal and to promote scholarship and leadership among middle and high school minority youth in Lee County (Florida). College-for-a-Day is operated in collaboration with University of South Florida and Edison Community College. (SM)

Explores the cumulative impact of repeated standardized testing on student attitudes and motivation. By high school, a large number of students, especially low achievers, become disillusioned about tests, are less motivated to give genuine efforts, and increasingly use inappropriate test-taking strategies, undermining test validity and genuine…

This article reports on the results of a planning grant studying the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on a diverse student population. The treatment was introduced to 1500 eighth grade students in five middle schools selected for their ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity. Students were given pre-, post-, and delayed posttests…

A school-year research experiment using primary resources to teach an important national issue--protest movements against the Vietnam War at the local level--is an excellent way to motivate students and energize classroom teaching. Every local community in America has its own story to tell about the war in Vietnam. Whether it is about a local son…

Across the United States, only 10% of all teachers are members of minority groups, indicating that teachers are far less diverse than the current population of students they teach. The West Virginia Health Sciences and Technology Academy, a math and science afterschool program and summer institute, was created specifically to reach out to…

The issue of underachievement among the gifted has captured the interest of educators sporadically over the past thirty years. In the most basic definition, an underachiever is a student who does not achieve in the academic areas at a level consistent with his or her capability. When underachievement is applied to the gifted, it becomes a more…

This article reports on a study that is concerned with surveying the aspirations of some students in an Australian Technical and Further Education (TAFE) College and developing strategies to address issues arising from the surveys. The study is essentially a series of surveys, thought it has an action learning aspect because of its developmental…

Although scientific and technological developments are mathematics-based, many students continue to perform poorly in mathematics. This study investigated how students' mathematics self-concept (MSC) is related to their motivation to learn mathematics (SMOT) and gender differences in the two constructs. Out of 165,900 students in 256 secondary…

The rapid growth of Web-based instruction has raised many questions about the quality of online courses. This chapter presents a conceptual framework that can guide the development of online courses by providing a holistic perspective on online teaching and learning. Although this framework is based on well-recognized theories of learning and…