Contextual teaching and learning (CTL), which is still being designed and implemented, is a conception of teaching and learning that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real-world situation, and motivates students to make connections between knowledge and its applications to their lives as family members, citizens, and workers.…

The shift from traditional classroom education to computer-mediated distance learning poses enormous challenges to instructors and learners. The concept of the classroom where students meet to interact with other learners and the instructor no longer exists. Learners lack a natural social outlet to engage with other learners thus leading to…

Two graduate teaching assistants (TAs)--one taught language arts methods and the other taught social studies methods--who were office mates at a large university in Florida formulated a plan to create one end-of-course project that would both satisfy requirements and combine the social studies and language arts. That way, students could see that…

This paper examines the integration of instructional technology (IT) in a Web-assisted, first-semester composition course at Middle Tennessee State University, particularly the use of interactivity tools for in-class and cross-class collaboration. Beyond the benefits of making course materials available 24-7 and linking students via email, IT…

In order to provide teachers and students with electronic learning environments that support mentoring and collaboration through electronic means, the authors developed software that supports same time/different place educational collaborative activities over the Internet. These activities focus on teaching students how to organize and systematize…

In every school system the education of mentally handicapped children presents serious problems. In the larger cities where such pupils may be gathered from the various classes in the school and placed in one room in charge of a specially prepared teacher, the problems are somewhat simplified. In the country schools where children cannot be so…

In this paper, the following key questions will be examined. What is distinctive about cooperative learning, which makes it different from just groupwork? What has research found about the effectiveness of cooperative learning in promoting thinking? What conditions in cooperative learning help promote thinking? What theoretical perspectives…

An indigenous, village-controlled, largely village-funded youth organization in a remote Western Alaska village serves educational, social, recreational, service, and economic functions; provides activities vital to community social/recreational life, relief from stress, and alternatives to substance abuse; and increases competency and sense of…

Describes an activity that integrates biology and physics concepts by experimenting with the seed dispersal of common milkweed or similar wind-dispersed seeds. Student teams collect seeds and measure several parameters, review principles of trajectory motion, perform experiments, and graph data. Students examine the ideas of…

Recounts an in-class group exercise where students individually rate 10 employee behaviors of a questionable ethical nature (use company car, call in sick). The students then calculate mean group ratings for each behavior and determine appropriate consequences for some of the actions. Includes statistical data and student responses. (MJP)

Demonstrates a thematic approach, using soup as the theme, to integrate and correlate elementary social studies with other subject areas. Outlines four soup activities, presenting goals, materials, strategies, and extensions of each. Stresses how integrated curricula effectively develops skills such as observing, inferring, serial ordering, and…

Discusses cooperative problem solving among Open University physics and math students and describes three studies that investigated how to design effective computer-based support for collaborative learning in distance education. The value of peer interaction for learning and problem solving is discussed, and students' attitudes to group work are…

Presents a model of instructional design which links cognitive learning theory and instructional prescriptions. Topics discussed include knowledge types and knowledge acquisition; memory system components; learning time; learning objectives, including skills, cognitive strategies, and creative processes; instructional methods that relate to…

Discusses effective ways to develop and promote educationally sound music programs for preschool children. Covers three types of music learning centers as versatile and inexpensive resources for creating independent learning environments: singing centers, instrument centers, and listening centers. Suggests ideas for group time, and for promoting…

Three groups of secondary school teachers received different types of training with regard to teaching at-risk students. Teachers who learned techniques of experiential cooperative gaming for use with at-risk students demonstrated an increase in self-confidence in dealing with at-risk students, while teachers who received only information…