Exploring the boundaries: A study of multiple classroom learning environments

The study of learning environments has developed into a productive field of research in science education. Initially, the design and application of classroom perceptual measures of particular dimensions of science classrooms attracted much attention. More recently, such instruments have been used alongside of qualitative techniques to provide a richer understanding of sub-environments. We continue this trend in the present interpretive study by exploring the nature of multiple environments within a middle school classroom from the different perspectives of teacher, student and participant observer. In particular, we examine the activity settings of lectures and group work, as well as the issues of learning and assessment. We conclude by arguing that teachers need to adopt procedures that enable them to identify and plan for multiple environments.     

Catalysing Changes in Research on Learning Environments: Regional Editor's Introduction

Learning Environments Research -     

Student and Teacher Perspectives in Computer-Mediated Learning Environments in Teacher Education

Rapid advances in technology, particularly with the Internet, have led to the availability of numerous tools to support teaching and learning. This study involved the use of an Internet application, Connecting Communities of Learners (CCL), in courses for prospective teachers. Unlike earlier studies involving the use of the CCL, the context of this study related to full-time graduate students who used the CCL to augment weekly face-to-face instruction. An interpretive study was undertaken to ascertain student and teacher perceptions of the learning environments associated with the use of the CCL. Through the use of the CCL, students were able to be autonomous in regard to their own learning, co-participate with their peers and the instructor, and establish and maintain a community of learners in which participants could interact with others as co-teachers and co-learners. The CCL was perceived as a useful tool for building learning environments in which all participants can contribute written texts as evidence of what is known and as objects from which others can learn. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Oral reading fluency as a screening tool with English learners: A systematic review

Students learning to read in more than one language are a growing population in schools. Early screening and identification of reading difficulties may lead to better outcomes for all students. Oral reading fluency (ORF) is one tool shown to be both a reliable measure of reading and an accurate method to identify students at risk for poor reading outcomes. This study synthesized available validity evidence for ORF with biliterates. All included studies (n = 31) were conducted with English language learners in grades K–8. Results suggested that although ORF is correlated with reading outcomes, the accuracy of ORF to identify English learners at risk of poor reading outcomes does not meet criteria. The strength of validity evidence differed by language proficiency of participants. Finally, the quality of the reviewed studies was low in critical areas.     

Multiple perceptions of children's aggression: Differences across neighborhood,age, gender,and perceiver

We investigated how overtly aggressive behavior was differentially perceived by two types of perceivers, teachers and peers, as a function of student neighborhood, gender, and grade level. Participants (N= 765) were predominantly African American students in grades 3‐5 recruited from two urban public schools in southern California. The neighborhoods surrounding the two schools differed in levels of identified violent crime and economic levels. Teachers in the community experiencing more violence perceived student behavior to be relatively less aggressive and more similar across genders than did teachers in the less violent community. Peers in the community experiencing more violent crime perceived both boys and girls to be somewhat aggressive, whereas in the less violent community, boys were perceived as aggressive more so than were girls. In general, agreement between teacher and peer perceptions was stronger for boys than for girls. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Teaching the Alphabet: Reconciling the Past and the Present

This guest editorial focuses on a reflective journey of two early childhood professionals as student and teacher turning into classroom teacher and literacy coach. In addition, this editorial explores some of the worries the classroom teacher expressed during a reflective journey in learning ways in which to teach alphabet letter recognition that increased child outcomes.