Proportional Reasoning among 7th Grade Students with Different Curricular Experiences

Contextual problems involving rational numbers and proportional reasoning were presented to seventh grade students with different curricular experiences. There is strong evidence that students in reform curricula, who are encouraged to construct their own conceptual and procedural knowledge of proportionality through collaborative problem solving activities, perform better than students with more traditional, teacher-directed instructional experiences. Seventh grade students, especially those who study the new curricula, are capable of developing their own repertoire of sense-making tools to help them to produce creative solutions and explanations. This is demonstrated through analysis of solution strategies applied by students to a variety of rate problems.     

Using Project-Based Instruction to Meet Foreign Language Standards

A challenge that language teachers face is meeting state and national standards while implementing sound methods and techniques. The authors addressed this challenge in a qualitative study of an eighth-grade exploratory French class where students were engaged in a variety of projects to enhance the learning of francophone language and culture. This article addresses how the projects helped students meet the five core national standards established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.     

Technology in Biomechanics Instruction

When used appropriately, modem technology has the potential for improving the effectiveness of biomechanics instruction. Computer presentation packages can be used to assist individuals in understanding complex concepts in a classroom setting or at a remote site. Video and force plate technology employed in progressive stages, moving from simple hand calculations to computerized data processing, can give students a better appreciation of basic principles and improve their ability to apply them in the analysis of cyclic and discrete motor skills.     

Storytelling as a Means of Peacemaking: A Case Study of Christian Education in Africa

This article explores how storytelling can help create a space for transformational learning. In particular it looks at the role of storytelling in education for peace in Africa. It also touches on related issues, including the role of historic peace churches, the role of women, and the role of faith convictions, in the process of moving from violence to peace with justice. The case study for the essay is the Watu Wa Amani (People of Peace) conference held in Nairobi in 2004.