Defines "authenticity" in learning as the cumulation of the following components: higher-order thinking, depth of knowledge, substantive conversation, and connections to the world beyond the classroom. Includes a sample lesson plan incorporating these elements into a study of global trends. The lesson plan includes brainstorming, student research…

Presents a series of learning activities using artifact analysis. Artifact analysis consists of extracting historical information from the use and construction of material objects. Outlines procedures for turning a classroom into an artifacts history lab for analysis of any variety of objects. Discusses assessment and follow-up procedures. (MJP)

Presents a lesson plan where students read an introductory essay, locate and examine a set of documents, and write an account of the introduction of nylon stockings and the effect of World War II on use of this fiber. Includes student handouts, background information, and reproduction of an E. I. DuPont press release. (MJP)

The case study method (employing direct observation and interviews) has become the primary means of investigating how secondary school and undergraduate students locate and use information in the library. This article examines and illustrates the shift from survey to case study with examples from dissertations and field studies of secondary school…

Discusses students' use of multiple sources for research and describes an automated system, "Super TOM Jr.," designed for middle and junior high school students, that includes citations, indexes, and full text of magazine and newspaper articles and selected reference sources. Research activities relating to Memorial Day and World War II…

Utilizes students' immediate surroundings (neighborhoods, homes, communities) to illustrate the five basic themes of geography. A list of 35 questions requires students to conduct their own research and relates to basic themes such as location, movement, and regions. Includes suggestions for extending the lesson. (MJP)

Reports on a study of a collaborative relationship between faculty at the University of Michigan and teachers and students at a comprehensive urban high school. The ethical and epistemological (validity) considerations have to do with using high school students as paid coresearchers. The study is illustrated with excerpts from student meetings and…

As a less expensive "close approximation," case studies are becoming increasingly common in courses in educational psychology, child development, and related disciplines. Typically case studies take the form of narratives depicting realistic classroom situations and problems. A case study does not have to be a narrative, however. Children's and…

A comprehensive, quantitative evaluation of an educational intervention program designed to reduce the attrition of minorities from the biological sciences was undertaken to ascertain whether such efforts adequately address the problem. Program participants had greater odds of persisting in basic math and science courses, and of graduating in…

This report summarizes information and discussion from a 1993 workshop on the Summer Research Opportunities Programs (SROPs). These programs are designed to enhance doctoral research opportunities and mentoring for minority graduate students. The present publication is intended to serve as a guide for those wishing to develop or strengthen SROPs…

Students can make authentic contributions to the World Wide Web (WWW) and learn critical evaluation skills by publishing reviews of WWW resources. A project which served as a pilot study was implemented where high school students wrote and published reviews of resources they used as part of an inquiry-based science curriculum. Students were…

This multiple case study examined the phenomenon of gifted student underachievement, using creative productivity (Type III enrichment in Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model) as a systematic intervention for reversing the underachievement pattern. Twelve teachers selected 17 underachieving students (ages 8 to 13) as subjects. The study first…

This book was developed to provide guidance in the process of systematic inquiry in the field of adult education and training. The book contains 11 chapters. It begins with an introduction and overview of the research process, followed by two chapters on how to shape a research problem and conduct a review of the literature that will help to…

This document consists of the six volume 4 issues of the journal "Understanding Our Gifted." The six issues focus on student research, technology and education, empowering parents, assessing the gifted, collaborative efforts, and family relationships, respectively. Feature articles have the following titles and authors: "Inside…

A public forum on community water quality was conducted by tenth grade students participating in the University of Alabama's Biomedical Sciences Preparatory Program (BioPrep). BioPrep was designed to provide rural high school students with an intensified education concentrating on mathematics, science, communication, rural life, health, and…