Maintains that to prepare students for the next century, music teachers must prepare them to be technologically literate in music. Describes the technology-based music education program at Ortega Elementary School in Austin, Texas. (CFR)

Discusses the school librarian's role in helping to develop students' reading motivation. Topics include the importance of feedback; providing time to read, perhaps as a reward; adequate access to books; flexible schedules for library time; reading aloud; book-discussion groups; family involvement; and using older students as tutors. (LRW)

Suggest ways that elementary school media specialists can encourage reading. Highlights include personal attention; students reading aloud; book bibliographies; a comfortable reading corner; competition; student suggestions for titles; contests and games; teacher recommendations; booktalks; displays; and author visits. (LRW)

Criticizes most history textbooks for presenting a single perspective with few conflicting ideas. Characterizes literature-based instruction as a resource rich in multiple viewpoints that invites the reader to enter into moral discussions about historical events. Presents several examples of trade books illustrating specific historical periods…

Achievement goal theory (AGT) has shown great promise as a framework for developing motivational climates that positively influence student motivation (Nicholls, 1984, 1989). AGT was developed as researchers began to question how students measure their success in achievement settings such as sport or physical education (PE). The theory proposes…

At a time when increasing numbers of elders need and continue to rely on social work services, it is important to build enthusiasm among students to prepare them for future work with this special population. A three-pronged approach to teaching about aging, which is built on the strengths perspective, critical social construction, and a human…

Most teachers have been good students. Some students are fast learners and attain the required knowledge and skills easily; others are obedient, hard workers. In either case, teachers are likely to believe that if students really try, they will do well. Listening to students over many years, the author has learned that this is probably not true.…

In her first year as superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools, Beverly Hall encountered what she describes as the nearly universal disbelief that poor children of color can achieve high levels of learning. This chapter recounts how she confronted this and other obstacles and challenges as the new leader of the Atlanta Public Schools. Hall is…

Much can be learned from California's Puente Project Model that would help students' success in classrooms as well as in college in general, and in their daily lives. Puente, which means "bridge" in Spanish, began in 1982 at Chabot College in northern California and is now in 38 colleges and 19 high schools statewide. Originally designed…

A teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) to adult migrant workers from Central America describes the evolution of her efforts to create a sense of community within the classroom and Latino center and to empower students to bring about social change in the long term. While students were pressuring the teacher to teach grammar, the teacher…

Computer-aided learning provides motivation, student responsibility, and workplace competency skills. Because of recent research on at-risk and non-traditional learners, along with the demand for industry-driven instruction, the administration at this vocational/technical school realized that the mere existence of technology is insufficient to…

This paper describes how a Wayne State University (Michigan) multimedia design team is applying Keller's ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) Model of Motivational Design to the entire process of design, development, and evaluation of multimedia courseware. The ARCS Model has been applied to the prototype module and is being…

A discussion of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction for non-native speakers in higher education distinguishes the needs of immigrants who are residents from those of foreign students with temporary student visas, and looks at how those needs affect the design of classes and programs to serve them. Data are drawn from experience with one…

A project was conducted at Crossroads Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center (Erie, Pennsylvania) to help residents build self-esteem and confidence through a course involving decision making, problem solving, and values clarification. Strategies, academic skills, reading, writing, and mathematics were introduced as part of the program. Over the…

In San Diego and Imperial Counties (California) all high schools now require between 2 and 3 years of mathematics of their students. This represents almost a doubling of the minimum mathematics requirements in the last 2 years. While the requirements have been increasing, the availability of qualified secondary mathematics teachers has been…