Classroom Questioning with Immediate Electronic Response: Do Clickers Improve Learning?

A number of studies have focused on how students and instructors feel about digital learning technologies. This research is focused on the substantive difference in learning outcomes between traditional classrooms and classrooms using clickers. A randomized block experimental design involving four sections of undergraduate Operations Management classes was used to determine if clicker systems increase student learning of both quantitative and conceptual material in Operations Management. Learning was measured using the difference between the scores on an entrance examination and the final examination. The findings of this research provide evidence that the use of immediate feedback using a technology like clickers can have a positive impact on student learning as measured by test scores.     

Learners and learning contexts: international perspectives on new alignments for the digital age

Educational technology research and development - Twelve papers representing 59 authors from 16 different nations are included in this special issue addressing the theme of ‘Learners and...     

The Civil Rights Commission Must Persist

Columnist George Will and others have questioned the continuing need for a federal civil rights commission, because civil rights protections have been on the books since 1964. The chairman of the Commission, Gerald Reynolds, here responds that practitioners of critical legal theory, advocates of the Akaka-Secession bill, some proponents of diversity, and others like them may make the continued existence of his commission a necessity.     

In-Service Education of Counseling Supervisors

The literature indicates that little attention has been given to the in-service education of counseling supervisors. This article describes such a program carried out by the New York State Employment Service and the University of Rochester. Three small groups (total N = 25) met periodically during one year. The group leader helped the members deal with practical, existing problems. He also related these to the theoretical concepts presented in prior institutes. Initial evaluation indicated very positive reactions by the supervisors. Discussion points out the utlization of this model for various types of counseling supervisors.     

Teacher Beliefs about Adolescent Development: Cultural and organizational impacts on Japanese and US middle school teachers' beliefs

Teacher beliefs can greatly influence the school experiences of young adolescents. In this study, the authors analyze a bi-national survey about teacher beliefs surrounding puberty, adolescence and academic items. The authors find significant differences between Japanese and US teachers of young adolescents with regard to the onset and duration of puberty, adolescence and rebellious attitudes. Items concerning teachers' impact on students reflect a pattern that shows both cultural differences and cross-national trends. The authors discuss the survey results in light of previous qualitative studies of Japanese education, and suggest directions for future research.     

Teaching Methods in Higher Education: The Changing Scene,with Special Reference to Small‐group Work

The paper opens with a brief statement of the two conceptual frameworks on which the analysis is based. The author then takes up in turn the five classical methods of shaping students' learning: didactic instruction in the form of lectures; discussion methods; practical work in laboratories, studios etc; provision for the students' private study, including individualized learning techniques and computer‐based methods; and the assessment of students' progress. He outlines the main departures from customary practice in each area, with special attention to small‐group techniques. Finally, since a critical aspect of development is the dissemination of fresh techniques, there is a section on development strategy.     

Innovative techniques for advanced writing classes: Modification of point of view

Changing narrators in a literary passage is a pedagogical technique that can enliven composition, yet which still presents a challenge to students. Assuming the original narrator to be omniscient, any new narrator's perception of a situation can only be fragmentary. The challenge lies in giving that new narrator total awareness of events, and in doing so logically. This means rearranging events, modifying the text, and essentially recreating it. The degree of difficulty can be increased by selecting as narrator a character with limited perception of a situation, or one totally absent from the story. For an added dimension of novelty and challenge, the passage can be narrated from the perspective of an inanimate object.His training was in medieval French literature, and he published articles on the chansons de geste in a number of journals over the years. Beginning quite recently, he has become more interested in pedagogy, i.e., the teaching of French, civilization, creative writing, etc. He has written articles that have appeared and are scheduled to appear in such journals as French Review, Contemporary French Civilization, ADFL Bulletin, on such varied topics as Business French, Creative Writing, and the French Liberation. He received his Ph.D. from Stanford University.