Discusses methods that software evaluation organizations use to evaluate instructional software. Topics addressed include who does the evaluating, including the role of students as well as teachers, subject matter experts, media specialists, and school administrators; reliability of evaluations; and possible improvements in the evaluation process.…

Describes the Greenway Experience, an internationally acclaimed environmental education program that trains teenagers to teach children about their environment. The program is designed to provide teenagers with self-esteem building experiences as leaders in environmental education programs. (MCO)

Describes eight steps that help students develop the skill necessary for analyzing their work and articulating their progress and goals. Describes how "We Can Charts" help students assess their growth as readers, explain their growth in reading to parents, and develop new reading goals. Discusses the characteristics of active learners and…

Describes how a new English teacher invited students to negotiate with him their course of study. Discusses setting the stage for negotiated learning, establishing ownership and building ensemble, clarifying expectations and rehearsing together, planning ahead and assessing the performance, helping students take on additional roles, and allowing…

Provides two examples of how teachers have developed a critical and caring classroom culture. Believes that to foster this culture it is necessary to infuse the ideas of civic justice and morality into classroom activities throughout the school year. Describes how to create a classroom with a critical and caring culture. (CMK)

Discusses the use of reading portfolios to evaluate middle school students' reading interests, attitudes, motivation, and achievement. Considers the results of portfolios with three students and the benefits of the evaluation for parents and teachers. (JPB)

Provides a critique of how student voice has been positioned in curriculum innovation drawing on an evaluation of physical education as a subject in senior secondary school in Australia. Stresses that educators must consider how (rather than why) students' engagement in constructing their own schooling experience could be more explicit. (CMK)

Reviews both the benefits and potential negative consequences of using a market analogy to describe the roles of students and teachers in the educational system. Argues that education is more than the gratification of consumer desire and should offer direction in the development of individual students. (JDI)

Discusses technology-based learner interfaces for K-12 school implementation based on an online discussion on the International Forum of Educational Technology and Society listserv. Topics include the role of teachers, learners, and technology; development costs; instructional strategies; teacher training; and the quality of teaching. (LRW)

Describes a role-playing exercise in which students take on one of three roles, either the prejudiced speaker, responder, or social observer, in order to explore a prejudiced comment in a mock interaction. Considers different topics for the postexercise class discussion and student reactions to the exercise. (CMK)

Offers a theoretical perspective on how and why different ways of talking about text can be so important for helping readers develop and for learning to read literature. Details a model of language use within the classroom and considers implications of the model for the instruction and assessment of language and literacy. (SR)

Presents an emerging model for effective teaching of adults and adolescents in multiple religious settings that provides caring contexts where participation, growth, transformation, and insights occur for teacher and learner when sharing their faith with critical reflection. Offers a class dialogue that illustrates the model. (CMK)

Uses a collaborative ethnography to explore how novice music teachers learn to teach elementary general music. Discusses the interaction of theory and practice. Presents an emergent set of assertions illustrating students' initial images and beliefs of teaching and a student profile illustrating the process of learning to teach music. (CMK)

A synthesis of five studies that explored social climate issues in synchronous and asynchronous online courses found that teachers find it difficult to change their dominant role; students do not have enough interaction opportunities; teachers should support creation of a social climate; and students need training in new communication skills for…

Describes one professor's experiences, doubts, frustrations and rewards with developing and teaching an online course. Suggests that four factors influence the success of an online course: development of a risk-free environment for student discussion via the course conference; student-control of the course conference; balance in the nature and…