Outlines a series of strategies and approaches to increase undergraduate student participation. Strongly recommends the use of study questions (disseminated prior to the readings) and a classroom management style emphasizing participation and involvement rather than an immediate mastery of the material. Discusses the benefits and limitations of…

Provides a step-by-step process for designing effective and interesting simulations. Explains and gives examples for the four steps: defining teaching goals, constructing the simulation, running the simulation, and debriefing. Asserts that simulations develop critical thinking and other skills. Examines possible means of assessment. (MJP)

Argues that the fragmentary nature of mass media has made students suspicious of the traditional lecture format. Recommends that history teachers incorporate questions concerning source material and knowledge (e.g. How do I know this?) into their presentations. Suggests a number of activities and texts that can be used to involve students in…

Addresses the problem of students coming to tutorials not having done the assigned readings. Reviews three approaches to promote student reading and addresses why they failed. Reviews recent research on student motivation and cooperative learning and suggests ways to promote reading and interdependent learning. (MJP)

Identifies the A level as an advanced placement examination given to high school students in the United Kingdom. Discusses the dichotomy between the A level students' knowledge of geography (dependent upon rote memorization) and the requirements of university geography (critical thinking and application). Recommends the adoption of reflective…

Presents an interview with Walter Turnbull, founder and conductor of Boys Choir of Harlem (New York). Turnbull discusses the origins of the choir and the positive affects it has had on its many participants. He also discusses the role of music in arts education and the importance of the arts in the curriculum. (MJP)

Reports on a study that contrasted learning outcomes of students in a class that incorporated computer assisted instruction (CAI) exercises with those of a lecture-only class. Students in the lecture-plus CAI class scored higher than those in the lecture-only class, specifically regarding material covered in the class. (MJP)

Provides an overview of the recent research concerning the application, benefits, and deficiencies regarding critical-reading skills and college instruction. Discusses how reading skills support cognitive processes necessary for acquiring psychological knowledge. Delineates the differences between narrative (story-like, believable) reading and…

Describes the use of Integrated Learning Systems (ILS) in Polk County (Florida) schools with at-risk students. Survey results of students and teachers are reported, including student attitudes; student behavior; teachers' professional skills improvement; expectations; school attendance; self-concept; and improvement in grades. (LRW)

Defines musical improvisation as taking place when a musician's aural and technical facilities combine to create a spontaneous form of musical expression. Discusses the use of improvisation as a means of enhancing student interest and performance. Includes a six-step approach for teaching musical improvisation. (CFR)

Special needs teachers and subject teachers simplified text in British secondary level science and humanities courses and used the text with a class of mixed attainment groups. Subsequent assessment indicated that marks of higher achievers were consistently high and marks of low achievers were significantly improved compared to a control group.…

Maintains that school failure can be prevented if at-risk students are provided with a coordinated set of interventions. Presents recommendations for principals and teachers and describes several successful programs that promote at-risk student learning, including cooperative learning, mentorships, instructional technology, and the whole-language…

An after-school fine arts program was developed at J. W. Sexton High School (Lansing, Michigan), based on the premise that participation in the fine arts, particularly by African Americans, would lead to higher grade point averages and a greater commitment to school life. A review of relevant literature revealed a number of reasons for low…

The California Literacy Campaign (CLC) is a statewide, community-oriented, library-based adult literacy program initiated by the California State Library in 1984. A key feature is the latitude given individual sites for developing literacy services to meet the needs of the local population. Two evaluations suggested that current learner progress…

This study examined the differential effects of a course-based treatment (i.e., students' direct application of reading strategies to their own college texts) versus a content-based treatment (i.e., student application of reading strategies to texts provided in the reading class) on various measures of student achievement and psychological…