The story of biology is far more complex and fascinating than straightforward facts or neatly labeled diagrams of structures and systems. Although exams can motivate students, the key to using these extrinsic motivators to increase student understanding lies in the way the assessments are designed and what they measure. Those involved in…

State-mandated systems of comprehensive examinations to be taken prior to high school graduation would focus the attention of students in high school, motivate them to higher levels of performance, provide guidance to teachers as to the appropriate material to be covered, and reduce antieducational pressures within peer groups, all of whose…

Takes a tongue-in-cheek approach in outlining some postulates educators hold about the way schools work and the way students learn and are motivated, and then draws "great truths" from those postulates to explain why the schools are in so much trouble. (IRT)

Jason Stephens traces the growth of cheating over three decades, noting a disconnect between expressed shock and research that has shown over and over that most students do cheat, at least some of the time. Some students cheat for simple, pragmatic reasons: to get high grades and because they do not have time to do the work carefully. However, the…

To help improve students' ability to interpret and write about literature, teachers should get rid of old habits. The old habits include giving quizzes to make sure students read assignments, and assigning readings just because particular works are part the literary canon. Once a teacher assigns a novel and gives a quiz, everything the teacher and…