A recent action research experiment comparing individualistic and cooperative learning results in two seventh grade classrooms found that retention scores slightly favored the cooperative learning method. Questions arose concerning grade-sharing, relative difficulty of subject matter and multiple-choice questions, and student attitudes about the…

Consists of three sections bound together by a common theme and reference list. The first section, by Gail Burnaford, addresses teacher action research as essential for motivating students and giving teachers a voice in curriculum. Section 2, by James Beane, explores common assumptions behind action research and integrative curriculum. Section 3,…

This study describes a program for students in the target 4th, 7th, and 8th grades who exhibit low achievement in writing. This low achievement affects behaviors, attitudes, and peer interactions. Discipline referrals, district assessments, and teacher written assessments substantiate this dilemma. Probable cause for lack of writing skills has…

A teacher-designed study of 46 eighth-grade students in a southeastern middle school showed that a majority of students (male and female of high, average, and low ability) liked integrated curriculum, though males favored it more highly than females. This information lends support for middle-school curriculum reform efforts focusing on life skills…

Describes a teacher-designed "pocket of excellence" in a small, rural Georgia community. In the Delta Project, teachers began with a commitment to meet students' affective and cognitive needs; proceeded to develop and implement changes in curriculum, instruction, and traditional team organization; and invited a university research team…

Describes the use of the action planning and research process (APR) by seven collaborative teams with 29 students having emotional or behavioral disorders in a middle school. The process involves student identification; systematic student assessment in interpersonal, emotional, cognitive, and biological areas; developing and implementing…

Using a symbolic interactionism theoretical perspective, this project examined the merits of team collaborative action research as a tool in comprehensive staff development for middle- grade teachers. The specific question examined during the action research was how inclusion of special needs students affects the academic and social achievement of…

This report describes a program for intensifying student motivation to increase their weekly instrumental practice time. The targeted population was second and third-year instrumental music students in grades 5-6. The students were drawn from two different elementary schools within the same district in an upper-middle class community adjacent to a…

Collaborating with her chemistry teacher, a high school student examined whether students who took reformed middle school science differed from students in regular science in grades, attitudes, and evaluation of science learning. Surveys indicated that students from the reformed program rated science significantly higher, felt better prepared for…

This middle and high school vocational education teacher examined why his students were not following written directions. He used three styles of instruction and observed students' ability to complete tasks. Student interviews indicated that students had vocabulary deficiencies (both technical and everyday words), and that illustrations helped…

The purpose of this monograph is to heighten awareness about action research for both teachers and administrators involved in California middle level reform efforts. This approach to educational research is a means of developing knowledge through collaboration in a process that improves both student learning and professional autonomy. The…

This report describes a program designed to increase students' knowledge in the science content area utilizing reading comprehension strategies. The targeted population consisted of grade 6 middle school students in a growing urban community in eastern Iowa. The students demonstrated poor comprehension of their science textbook. Data also revealed…

This book offers middle school educators information about inquiry-based, interdisciplinary learning, highlighting the I-Search process. I-Search offers a powerful mix of ingredients (e.g., respecting curiosity, supporting independence, and fostering creativity) to capture students' and teachers' imaginations. It makes research more learner…

Problem-based learning (PBL) offers students the opportunity to apply the appropriate knowledge to a well-defined problem, allowing students to apply academic problem-solving skills to their own real-life problems. This paper describes outcomes of a PBL program that was used as a tool for school improvement in three South Carolina schools--one…

As a student teacher who had just finished her teaching assignment at Old Dominion Middle School in central Virginia, the author was struck by differences in students' classroom and hallway behavior. Whereas students were calm and respectful inside classrooms, they pushed, cursed, and ran in hallways while teachers looked on. Wondering why…