Describes a debating program in a Pennsylvania high school, in order to show how debating can sharpen students' intellectual dexterity. Debate promotes critical thinking, careful listening, and effective use of library resources. (TE)

Describes a method for making the study of history more interesting. Based on student research and composition, the method involves students in writing both true and false "autobiographies" of famous people. Students then exchange autobiographies and determine which accounts are true and which are false. (AV)

Includes practical suggestions submitted by teachers concerning the use of student autobiographies in the reading lab, a sensible approach to inservice, critical reading instruction, and the development of a unit on planning a vacation. (MKM)

Claims that the importance of gaining information literacy skills is in the use of information rather than the finding of information but that many students undertaking research projects do not understand this. Describes a research process model developed for use in a classroom setting and gives a sample lesson using its steps: presearch, search,…

Observes that the goals of social studies instruction fall into the broad categories of citizenship education, cultural literacy, and multiculturalism. Reports that there has been both resistance to and improvements in multicultural education in Massachusetts. Concludes in light of improvements in student research skills training and global…

A multimethod approach identified barriers and facilitators of action research training as a method to help teachers create school improvement. Content analysis of action research plans developed during training of 14 school leadership teams indicates the importance of technical research skills and the provision of time as a resource to those…

This booklet provides a framework within which information skills may be taught. Four broad categories of information skills--identifying and locating information sources, information intake, organizing information, and communicating information--are described. The development of an information skills policy which includes a sequential list of…

The Future Problem Solving Program is intended to help gifted students (grades 4 through 12) develop richer images of the future and increase creativity, communication, teamwork, research, and problem-solving skills. Procedures for participating in the program and securing materials are explained. (CL)

The author categorizes the stages and skills of independent inquiry: the motivation to inquire; skills essential to setting up an inquiry; and modes of concluding an inquiry or verifying a hypothesis. He draws curriculum implications for developing independent learners. (SJL)

School counselors need to understand survey methodology even if they do not use it as research practitioners. Counselors can be better consumers of survey research by noting response rates, sampling techniques, reliability and validity in research articles. (JAC)

To capitalize on the thoughtful use of resources and technology, students should be taught how to allocate time to different stages of the research process. Examines the research process; discusses intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; and suggests teachers make engaging assignments, provide time for synthesizing, and encourage thinking rather than…

Discusses personal reasons for using historical documents in history instruction. Proposes six reasons why the use of documents in the classroom yields positive learning results. Concentrates on how the use of documents motivates students to read. Provides an example of a document and explains how it is used in the classroom. (RW)

Describes a model of information processing that could be helpful in teaching students to interpret information. Four stages of information processing are discussed: judging suitability, understanding/comprehending, evaluating, and extracting. Examples based on task analysis and observations of students' work are included. (three references) (MES)

Presents several lessons about student research learned by a school librarian who returned to graduate school. Highlights include the importance of self-confidence, the overview stage of the research process, the diversity of approaches to research, writer's bloc, creative thinking, and the effects of personal events on schoolwork. (MES)

A committee of media specialists, librarians, teachers, parents, and administrators at a Minnesota district devised an information literacy curriculum. They identified current skills and software; learned an information-processing mode; identified curriculum integration areas; brainstormed projects; identified needed resources; and developed…