This study examines peer collaboration among four pairs of seventh graders who read online to determine what caused the downfall of the Mayan civilization. More and less productive collaborative interactions are presented through snippets of dialogue in which pairs negotiated complex texts. Few examples of how teachers can skillfully facilitate…

Digital photography has the potential to support student inquiry in real-world settings. However, specific ideas for the most effective use of digital photography to benefit students during inquiry, as well as the evidence indicating that this is possible, have not yet been established. Forty-one seventh-grade students used digital cameras and…

These series of lessons uses the process of student inquiry to teach the concepts of force and motion identified in the National Science Education Standards for grades 5-8. The lesson plan also uses technology as a teaching tool through the use of interactive Web sites. The lessons are built on the 5-E format and feature imbedded assessments.