This paper attempts to fill some of the gaps in the literature (on reflective teaching), delving further into the meaning and functions of reflection. First, it considers the origins of the term and some aspects of its development. It then analyzes and critiques some of the current notions of reflection. Beginning the process of a more rigorous…

This paper makes a critical exploration into the core epistemological assumptions of mainstream television effects research and explains why the mainstream study of the cognitive impact of television on children suffers from two reductionist tendencies, i.e., television is understood by most researchers to be solely a technical medium, and most…

There has been a marked increase in recent years in research studies of the alternative "frameworks of thought" that learners bring to the interpretation of what they meet in school science. Provided are summaries of papers and discussions from a meeting which critically reviewed the methods being used in such research and their…

One of the goals of science education is to foster critical and scientific thinking skills. However, if the meaning of the terms "thinking critically" or "thinking scientifically" is not clear, these phrases will become vacuous slogans beyond translation in teaching methods and curriculum materials. Therefore, the fundamental aspect of these terms…

The results of interviews of students of medicine, business administration, and engineering concerning their perceptions of their professional education's relevance to actual professional work, the nature of learning and knowledge, and worldwide economic and technological development are presented and discussed. (MSE)

This study investigated the effects of two sequences of instruction--theory-to-application and application-to-theory--on medical students' cognitive preferences in preclinical science teaching. Results indicate that presenting an example of the clinical application of biochemical theory before presenting the theory itself increased students'…

The starting point of this study is a post-structural feminist position that asks questions in order to examine the social conditions of a group from the participants' perspective and experience. The five participants in this study were working in a traditionally feminized field (teaching), but their subject matter (science) has been traditionally…

These narrative accounts follow a group of young adults searching for meaning during the ten years after their college graduation, and offer insights into how higher education might create conditions for this search to occur during college. This longitudinal study is based on interviews with 39 participants at various points during their…

Oppositional feminist ethnography does have something to offer those in adult education. Because adult educators adhere to a mission of social justice, concern over issues of power, knowledge construction, positionality, identity, and voice have become more prevalent. Although discourses dealing with equity are increasing, those in the field still…

Advocates adapting a postmodernist approach to history instruction. This would mandate recognizing the subjectivity of all knowledge including the historical record. Recommends embracing this subjectivity and focusing less on history as a subject and more on the development of critical-thinking skills. (MJP)

Suggests that in order to develop innovative and alternative approaches to educating Native Americans, it is important to understand and define pre-Columbian Native American culture and values. Emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the role and function of elders and ceremonial people, and the use of Native languages as a manifestation of…

Compares 1989 National Commission on Social Studies in the Schools' report, "Charting a Course: Social Studies in the 21st Century," to a similar curricular endeavor during the 1930s. Finds the 1989 version conformist, narrow, prescriptive, overly content oriented, and not reflective of educational research. Because of its academic…

Two alternative paradigms for undergraduate education are compared; one holds teaching as its purpose, the other learning. The natures of the two paradigms are examined on the following dimensions: mission and purposes, criteria for success, teaching and learning structures, underlying learning theory, concepts of productivity and methods of…

This article addresses issues of multicultural education and feminist pedagogy in the context of knowledge and its transmission, self-understanding, cultural and individual beliefs, and transformation of the teacher and the college curriculum. (DB)

Maintains that a major theme in Lev Vygotsky's later research was concept formation or conceptual development in child development. States that Vygotsky argued that the acquisition of mature academic concepts forms the crowning achievement of adolescence. Argues that the view raises a number of criticisms. (CFR)