The purpose of this research project was to understand how Cambourne's theory of social constructivism, particularly his four instructional principles, was applied to the teaching of writing in two rural multigrade Foundation Phase classrooms in the Western Cape. Multigrade schools account for 30% of all primary schools in South Africa, but in…

This article presents an interview with Lyn Huston, who teaches in a one-room schoolhouse--Duckwater School--in Duckwater, Nevada. The school, which has a class of only 15 students, is set on a plot of land between alfalfa farms, an Indian reservation, and a 20,500-acre wilderness area. Huston discusses the challenges that exist when teaching in a…

Currently many children in early childhood education cannot be accommodated in provincial department schools. Consequently, different non-governmental institutions offer Grade R programmes in an attempt to support the DBE. Pre-primary schools that traditionally took responsibility for early childhood education also offer Grade R education. The…

In this study primary schools' educational system in small and isolated islands of Greece is presented. These areas are characterized by inaccessibility and isolation as it happens in most multigrade schools. For facing the difficulties of multigrade schooling, curriculums should be engaged with different learning strategies. In this case study…

This article presents excerpts from a case study describing Angelica Dawson, a New York State music educator. Angelica makes improvisation a central part of her curricula in ways that transcend traditional offerings prevalent in American public schools. Qualitative research methods were used to document Angelica's work over the course of an…

The needs of academically advanced/high-ability students may not be met in today's schools. When educational needs are not met, students may not reach full potential, may lose intrinsic motivation for learning, and may develop poor work and study habits. The rural school district involved in this study lacks a formal gifted and talented program.…

Efforts to improve the "quality" of education for all in government primary schools in India have seen a shift towards child-centred teaching. This paper examines the "Joyful Learning" programme, an example of a pedagogic reform implemented in rural primary schools in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Through an empirical…

A solid understanding of equivalent fractions is considered a steppingstone towards a better understanding of operations with fractions. In this article, 55 rural Australian students' conceptions of equivalent fractions are presented. Data collected included students' responses to a short written test and follow-up interviews with three students…

This paper presents a multifaceted approach for investigating the impact of the Success for All (SFA) program on children's reading proficiency. The approach advocated features case study research and uses document analysis, structured observation, interviews, and questionnaires to collect data. The research design was successfully field tested in…

This qualitative study evaluated the Technology Supported Induction Network's (TSIN) effect on 15 elementary education student teachers in isolated rural schools. The student teachers were 50-300 miles away from their university; thus, it was difficult for faculty to provide support and supervision. The TSIN provided student teachers with…

Presents a study in which 12 multicultural literature selections were used in a unit on families in order to facilitate the cultural awareness of second-grade students who live in a predominately African American, rural community. Discusses the themes that emerged. Includes an appendix with a copy of the interview, literature selections, and unit…

A team of graduate students and educational administration professors, as part of a field-based doctoral program, discovered the "split and fit" culture during an evaluation of the school's Continuous Progress Primary Program (CPPP). According to Pascale (1990), "split and fit" can work to an organization's benefit. Fit…

Examines women teachers who taught in one-teacher schools in Queensland, Australia, from 1920-50. Discusses the research and provides a historical context. Focuses on topics such as teaching as a career, women teachers and marriage, unequal pay, and living conditions of women teachers. (CMK)

An interactive video trial involved teaching two Year-7 lessons to elementary school students in Queensland (Australia). French was taught to one class through two-way video and audio so that students and teachers could see and hear each other, and Japanese was taught simultaneously to three classes through one-way video and two-way audio.…

A 5-year study of one-teacher schools was conducted by a single researcher in the remote North West Region of New South Wales, Australia. A personal narrative discusses problems of longitudinal research, peculiarities of gathering data in the chosen region, the close relationship of these isolated schools and their communities, and problems and…