Presents ideas for creating a purposeful classroom environment that will help students become strategic readers. Suggestions include using the conference table to learn about students as readers, organizing books to help children make wise choices, and creating a meeting area that invites discussion. (SM)

States that reading is an intense personal and creative experience. Contends that the way teachers are educated to teach reading and literature must be improved. Opines that when the reading of real books is personalized, the possibility of responding genuinely to the needs of troubled readers is significantly increased. (PA)

Presents three strategies to motivate elementary students: (1) the "Miles to Go" game, charting students' experiences with book content, recording their conclusions and feelings; (2) shopping lists used to seek practical information from other students, to practice notetaking and listening; and (3) neon-colored notebooks given to each…

Provides teachers with answers to questions frequently asked by beginning French students relating to gender, infinitive use, placement of adjectives, the existence of so many irregular verb forms and different tenses, conjugation with "avoir" and "etre," the frequency of silent consonants, and the source of words that are…

Describes a research study that determined that calculus educators are slow to use technologies in instruction because they perceive a lack of clarity regarding the use of technology, technology is rapidly changing, and using technology requires too much time and effort. (DDR)

Two tools for helping students develop a sense of responsibility for their learning are presented. An "I Can" chart encourages students to reflect on their learning and state on a chart what they can do after a skill has been learned. A "My Goals" list helps students set personal goals based on class objectives. (SM)

Public policy students were surveyed four times from 1998- 2000 (n=126, 104, 95, 92). Results reveal that many begin with uncertain goals and ambivalence about public sector work. Interest declined and the curriculum did little to promote the public sector. Many anticipated fluid careers and chose positions that offer growth more commonly…

Structural equation modeling of data from 396 African-American and 291 white students at one predominantly white and two historically black colleges found that, contrary to suggestions of antiintellectualism, African-American students do not lack academic motivation and do not have lower self-esteem and academic self-concept. Educational…

Discusses the challenge of assessing collaborative work, such as literature circles. Suggests the best way to evaluate literature circles is a legitimate performance assessment created by the students. Concludes that the rubric-creating exercise itself is a review of good reading and discussion habits. (PM)

Explores how instructional design can contribute to building powerful learning environments. Highlights include a history of instructional design; personalized computer environments; collaborative learning; interaction and student-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment-centered, and community-centered learning environments; and the importance of…

Explains a model of a solar village in the context of the school which does not contribute to air pollution by using only solar energy. Suggests that pupils would be active participants in building systems and understanding the contact between the knowledge of the basic science of solar energy and the technology processes in daily life.…

Presents results of a controlled experiment comparing the conceptual mechanics learning gains as measured by the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) between two laboratory groups. One group completed cookbook labs while the other completed Interactive-Engagement (IE) labs in RealTime Physics. Suggests that laboratory activities should engage students in…

Draws on a motivational framework for examining the use of Learner-Centered Psychological Principles (LCPs) to improve middle school student's academic engagement and achievement. Surveys of 2,200 diverse middle school students indicated that students reported more positive forms of motivation and greater academic engagement when they perceived…

Describes four core elements of the Wai'anae High School Hawaiian Studies Program (HSP): contextualization of instruction within students' backgrounds; joint productive activity between teachers, students, and community mentors; detracking of students; and teaming and looping of teachers. The HSP is a community-based, culturally contextualized…

Data from three projects (a CD-ROM of the periodic table, video animation on CD ROM, and data loggers) show how conditioned dispositions affect information/communications technology use. The projects demonstrate how students have been conditioned to work mindlessly in science classrooms, following the path of least cognitive demand and avoiding…