Attention is increasingly being paid to integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education as a way to increase the workforce for STEM-related careers as well as to promote STEM literacy among citizens. This means that all students, including those who are educationally disadvantaged, are expected to not only acquire…

This study was a yearlong investigation over writing instruction with one class of ninth grade students in an urban, "underperforming" high school. Using qualitative methods with embedded quantitative features, findings revealed students benefited little from the writing instruction they received. In fact, most students showed virtually…

In this paper we explore the role of outdoor residential experiences on the sense of efficacy and examination attainment of a group of under achieving students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. The article reports on a three year project which focuses on two groups of Year 9 (age 14) to Year 11 (age 16) students. The results reported here…

In this study, we examined how a teacher may make a difference to the way interest develops in a science classroom, especially for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. We adopted a methodology based on the concept of "taste for science" drawing on the work of John Dewey and Pierre Bourdieu. We investigated through…

IN GRADE 9, ANCIENT HISTORY IS STUDIED DURING THE FIRST SEMESTER, FOLLOWED BY MEDIEVAL HISTORY THE SECOND SEMESTER. IT IS HOPED THAT MOST STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE THEIR HISTORY STUDY IN THE 10TH GRADE WITH MODERN HISTORY, BASED UPON THE CULTURAL CONCEPTS PRESENTED IN THE 9TH GRADE. GEOGRAPHY AND CIVICS ARE OFFERED AS ONE-SEMESTER ELECTIVES IN 9TH…

NINTH GRADE STUDENTS REFUSED TO READ THEIR LITERATURE ASSIGNMENTS BECAUSE THEY CONSIDERED THEM TO BE "PHONEY." AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH TEACHER, THE CHILDREN ESTABLISHED SOME LITERARY CRITERIA--"PHONINESS" REFERRED TO ONE-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS, UNBELIEVABLE SITUATIONS AND DIALOGUE. THE CHILDREN WERE PERMITTED TO EVALUATE NEW…

The purpose of this pilot study was to collect information on the feasibility of designing a controlled experimental project to test the effectiveness of a new grammar called "sector analysis" on improving student writing. The fourth, seventh, and ninth grade materials used in this study were based on this new approach to teaching…