The benefits of Internet activities for teaching of foreign languages, for example the use of e-mail as a non-threatening environment for language output, and using the Web to integrate language and culture, have become apparent in the last few years. This paper describes WebCT as a user-friendly integrated Internet environment for the teaching of…

An ethnographic, multiple case study research design was used to examine factors that support a successful high school distance education program. Three classrooms from different high schools, each taking the same nationally-offered distance education physics course during the 1994-95 school year, participated. The course was delivered live, via…

This paper discusses the case study method of instruction and its application to the teaching of English for special purposes in university business schools. Students are given cases adapted to their level that allow them to solve business problems, such as contract negotiations, while improving their English comprehension and communication…

This paper describes a shared leadership, quality improvement team approach to classroom management in elementary school classrooms that is similar to the quality and school improvement approaches which are increasingly available to school personnel and community leaders. Contents outline a model approach to cooperative classroom management among…

Guidelines for establishing and implementing residence hall unit agreements with college students are presented, based on the experience of the University of Maryland, College Park. These agreements or social contracts are drawn up by a floor/unit of residents and are put in writing to define for that unit the acceptable range of behavior in a…

The academic program review process that accounts for conceptual properties of loose coupling is analyzed, and organizational theory literature is reviewed with regard to program review and loose coupling. In addition, the academic program review process used at Ohio State University is described in detail, and the elements of loose coupling…

This study examines the manner in which a group of kindergarten children viewed their kindergarten experience, how those views changed over time, and the extent to which those views were affected by background variables and preschool experiences. Eighty-three randomly selected urban kindergarten children were interviewed three times over a 7-month…

It is time to reevaluate the myths of the nineteenth century and the structures they created pertaining to education. There is a need to utilize new power relationships to creatively build a pluralistic educational system. It must be recognized that conflict can lead to collaboration if respect is present, whereas collaboration which ignores…

In this paper, three models of participant interactions in a Web-based instruction courses were identified among a diverse group of seven adult learners in a Course-On-Line, Masters of Instructional Technology Program at the University of Malaya (Malaysia). The three models were named the cyclical model, the hierarchical model, and the parallel…

Mandatory introductory level college courses, or "service courses," tend to be taught in lecture format, in a linear order from the instructor's point of view, and to classes of anywhere from 50 to 600 or more students. Students have individual differences and diverse learning styles which are difficult to address in a large class.…

Technology adoption concerns are increasingly important to understanding constructivist learning environments and learning communities. As instruction begins to move toward more open, participatory models, "end users"--both teachers and learners--are asked to take more responsibility in the learning process. Issues such as the variable…

In the inclusion style of teaching, learners must make decisions about level of task difficulty. They must decide at which level to enter the presented task and then, for additional sets of trials, decide whether to perform the task the same way, make it more difficult, or make it less difficult. This study examined learner decision making in a…

This paper discusses the perception of "self" and "other" in the relationship between teacher and student as well as in all human relations. The dialogical philosophy of Martin Buber that defines an "I-Thou" relationship as one where the relationship exists in concert and not singly is described. The "I" is…

Active learning is an important element of course design. It has, however, not been integrated in the conduct of class lectures as they have evolved from early, chalkboard-based discussions to newer, multimedia presentation styles. The sophisticated, multimedia presentation styles have forced some rigidity, and have often unintentionally relegated…

How the social organization of the classroom, including teacher and student roles, patterns of interaction, and norms extended or constrained students' learning opportunities was examined. A total of 6 English, science, and social studies classes in grades 6 and 7 were observed for the first month of the school year; activities in the school were…