A study analyzed electronic-mail requests from college students (n=34 native speakers of English/NSs, 65 non-native speakers/NNSs) to faculty, randomly gathered over the period of a year. The requests were analyzed for the affective response they produced both on the faculty recipient and on a non-recipient faculty member, and for linguistic forms…

Six of the first vocational education (VE) programs to adopt new voluntary national skill standards were studied to identify the opportunities and challenges faced by VE programs adopting the new standards. The VE programs studied were located in high schools in seven cities: Chalmette and Walker, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; L'Anse Creuse,…

If dynamics of gender and race in the science classroom are understood and used effectively, group work may enhance learning for all students, especially women and students of color; if ignored or misunderstood, group work may detract from or inhibit learning. Group size/selection, roles/leadership, assignments/grading, student resistance, and…

The goal of this action research project goal was to improve students' taking responsibility for their own learning. The targeted population consisted of 120 intermediate and middle school students in 5 classes from 2 middle-class communities in northern Illinois. The lack of student responsibility in the learning process was documented through…

A study examined the supervisory relationship between a non-native English-speaking doctoral student and a native English-speaking advisor, particularly in science, focusing on factors leading to effective or ineffective supervision, advisee response to advisor guidance and assistance, and the roles played by the two participants. Subjects were…

This paper offers an overview of three previous studies based on surveys of almost 1000 Ontario parents, 3500 teachers, and over 6100 students; each of which monitors the participants' experience with and attitudes towards the system of education. The intention of the overview is to assimilate the findings of the previous research into a single…

Examines two sets of Chinese educational ideology and practice: pre-1977 (during the Cultural Revolution) and post-1976 (during the Hua Guofeng administration), as well as changes in the 1980s. Special attention is given to ideology, the expansion of schooling, self-reliance, utilization of human resources, and emergence of pressure groups.…

This study offers ways to understand how a fifth-grade student and her teacher co-constructed academic and social positions within classroom writing practices and how these positions constrained and enabled literacy learning. Positioning is viewed as central rather than optional to learning. Classroom writing practices enabled the case-study…

A rationale and methodology for the use of student perceptions in educational decision making, and specifically in the area of curriculum, are presented. Four sections of the paper present ways in which student perceptions may be used: to describe and compare school environments, to compare perceptions of student subgroups within the same…

This two-part learning module was designed to acquaint community college instructors with the use of group reality therapy and learning contracts in the promotion of self-awareness and self-determination among high-risk students. Part I discusses the social concept of behavioral change and describes how internal/external counseling can be…

This document contains materials for use in conducting a 1-hour presentation on school-to-work (STW) programs in New York State for area students in order to elicit their support for the state's STW initiative and encourage them to share information about the initiative with others in their communities. The document begins with tips for delivering…

Science teachers need to stress several kinds of objectives in teaching and learning. One kind, cognitive, receives major emphasis by teachers. In addition to vital facts and concepts, pupils should also acquire major generalizations. And, in addition to facts, concepts, and generalizations, pupils also need to be able to think critically.…

A study investigated the perceptions of college students from three different cultural groups in English composition courses concerning writing and effective writing instruction. Subjects were native speakers of American English, natives of South Korea, and natives of Mexico. Data were collected through classroom observation and in systematic…

Faced with declining attendance, poor reputation, and possible demise of their program, students in the Adult Liberal Studies (ALS) program at the University of Toledo formed an association, evaluated the program, and instigated constructive changes that have revitalized the program, increased its enrollment, and enhanced its reputation among its…

This guide, designed for second language teachers and teacher trainees, addresses central practical, methodological concerns in effective classroom management and decision making. The first chapter provides background information and assumptions. The second chapter discusses the planning process (lesson preparation, pre-instructional…