The author of "Choosing a College" (Harper & Row, 1989) discusses the difference between teachers and researchers, matching schools with students, and the failure of reforms to improve the quality of teaching in institutions of higher learning. Attributes the recent renewal of overt campus racism to misguided preferential quota programs. (FMW)

Uses a collaborative ethnography to explore how novice music teachers learn to teach elementary general music. Discusses the interaction of theory and practice. Presents an emergent set of assertions illustrating students' initial images and beliefs of teaching and a student profile illustrating the process of learning to teach music. (CMK)

The "ISSS Annual Conference Proceedings" is a peer-reviewed professional publication published once a year following the annual conference. The following papers are included in the 2013 proceedings: (1) Teaching About Asia in a Social Science Education Program (Cyndi Mottola Poole and Joshua L. Kenna); (2) Teaching Students about…

In a qualitative study of South Asians in education, methodological issues pertaining to the social interactions between the same-ethnicity researcher and researched are analysed and interpreted. Based on in-depth interviews with 89 South Asian school pupils and 25 South Asian parents, it was found that political ideology and shared ethnicity were…

A discussion of the needs and consideration of the appropriateness of various methodological approaches used in conducting research projects on adult literacy. (WL)

This report describes a project on the implementation of authentic assessment methods in order to show an authentic picture of students progress and abilities. The targeted population consisted of approximately 40 eighth grade students in 2 classes in a suburb of a major midwestern city. The problems with current assessment methods were documented…

Shares how a fourth-grade teacher learned to use whole-class "Spelling Meetings" as a focus of her spelling instruction. Describes initiating spelling notebooks, the first spelling meeting, and subsequent ones as both teacher and students found their way, making adjustments and finding new directions, and having students catch themselves using a…

Compares advantages and disadvantages of most types of modern dictionaries from teachers' and researchers' as well as students' points of view. Shows that if clear distinctions are made between learning, test-taking, reading for pleasure, or extensive reading, each type dictionary can be used by itself or in combination with another dictionary,…

Listening skills research has tended to focus on strategy use in classrooms and on theory and practice of second language (L2) teachers. This study examined the teachers' and learners' perceptions of listening skills in non-classroom learning situations. Five (n = 5) study skills teachers and 19 former learners in a distance study skills course at…

Collaborating closely with a 10th-grade science teacher, we designed a Web-based learning environment (Web-LE) to improve student motivation to learn science. Factors believed to enhance intrinsic motivation (challenge, control, curiosity, and fantasy) were integrated into the instructional design of the Web-based learning tool. The Web-LE was…

The use of online interviews as reflective dialogue for professional growth and development was studied. Doctoral research conducted using electronic mail messaging as a series of online interviews evolved into reflective dialogues between the researcher and subjects. Five users of an online discussion group on teaching participated in a pilot…

The structures of meaning preservice teachers perceived and interpreted as a result of field placements in a methods course and through the use of ethnographic tools were studied in an ethnographic design. The study involved 11 preservice teachers. It described how they shaped each other's thinking about teaching and it examined how ethnographic…

Stemming from a teacher/researcher's experience in a public school where music was "hated" by students, this study investigates how early elementary students understand and appreciate music, and how classroom teachers can help students in this process. The research was conducted in a first and a second grade class in two Boston (Massachusetts)…

Discussion of the assessment and evaluation of educational technology focuses on appropriate research methodologies for use by elementary and secondary education teachers. Distinctions between assessment and evaluation are explained; the need for adequate planning is discussed; student benefits and attitudes are considered; and teacher needs and…

School-based outdoor and experiential programs face an increasing demand from outside interests for research-based accountability. This paper suggests that both research and practice are strengthened by researcher-practitioner partnerships and by practitioners conducting their own research. Three modest qualitative research designs are explored as…