Group Adventure Initiative Tasks require the successful completion of a group task or objective and then provide debriefing and reflection on group processes and individual behaviors. A model of responsible action provides a framework for debriefing by charting behaviors and outcomes of choosing to respond to a situation as "victim" (reactive…

Plas y Brenin, (British) National Mountain Centre, was evaluated through surveys of users of outdoor residential courses, nonusers from relevant sports, and experts. The center's most highly rated aspect was "setting standards for training," but some educators suggested that the center's concentration on technical expertise in sports ignored…

Examines characteristics of informal outdoor education offered by youth programs and human services agencies. Discusses the nature of curriculum and whether it is necessary, relative emphasis on process or product, experiential learning, appropriate use of activities, the importance of dialog in stimulating critical thinking, and client reflection…

Offers advice and practical suggestions on how to facilitate challenge activities when working with diverse groups that include disabled persons. Lists tips concerning access and safety considerations, communication, group dynamics and teamwork, and modifications to specific activities. (SV)

The most important skill for the transformational leader is building relationships through positive and effective communication. Provides guidelines for supporting and encouraging group members, setting the tone for the group, modeling communication behaviors, use of voice patterns, active listening, reflective communication (paraphrasing),…

Proposes a model to explain secondary students' achievement in chemistry that uses the following predictor variables: students' attitude towards chemistry, understanding of science, scientific attitude, traditional cosmological world-view, cognitive style, and teachers' attitude towards the teaching of chemistry and understanding of science.…

Explores links between science education and current developments in environmental education that take account of the concept of sustainability and the impact of local action on global issues. Uses the greenhouse effect as a case-study example with 16-year-old students. Reports that students learned more effectively using a discussion-based…

Uses data from the Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) to compare the relative success of different classes in science in the National Curriculum. Discusses differences in terms of cognitive styles, training, and attitudes of teachers. Reports that primary teachers are considerably less confident about teaching science than about…

Argues for a sociological analysis of effective schools as opposed to the positivist paradigm. Maintains that the practice of schooling cannot be separated from the broader social, cultural, and political aspects of the local community. Profiles four high schools and their educational philosophies. (MJP)

Maintains that although Canada's private schools attempt to reproduce dominant cultural ideology, meritocracy and recruitment have created paradoxical effects. Academic competition results in fewer private school graduates being admitted to top universities. Further studies reveal no correlation between private school and financial success. (MJP)

Examines how the practice of tracking affects students' social bonding with their school. Discovers that tracking creates a polarization between students. Higher level tracked students accept the schools demands as normative, while lower tracked students rebel and often drop out. Includes statistical tables on drop-out rates and other variables.…

Asserts that ethnography's development out of anthropology left it tainted with biases from colonialism and imperialism. Discusses several contemporary approaches, including critical ethnography, really useful knowledge, and action research. Suggests further incorporation of postmodernist ideas into the field of ethnography. (MJP)

Considers the arguments advanced for an expansion of academic programs incorporating service learning. Briefly describes several programs in relation to the validity of these arguments. Suggests that geography could benefit from incorporating elements of service learning in order to enhance its treatment of ethical issues. (MJP)

Maintains that community enterprise projects help students develop academic, personal, and transferable skills, while enabling underfunded not-for-profit groups to achieve some of their goals. Provides several examples of programs and suggests methods of improvement. (MJP)

Describes and promotes topic synthesis, an approach where students rather than instructors summarize the key points of the previous lecture at the beginning of the next class. Benefits include improved oral presentation skills and reinforcement of key concepts. The method also provides an accurate assessment tool. (MJP)