Evaluated an experimental program in which students were taught to design models as a tool in the learning of percentages and compared results with outcomes from a control group in which teachers directly provided models. Results for 121 fifth graders in The Netherlands show significantly better performance in experimental condition than in the…

Studied interrelationships among perceptions of 108 preservice teachers of the learning context, test complexity, study strategies, and academic performance. Results of a path analysis show that perceptions of teaching format and test complexity were positively related to study strategies reported, and strategies were related to reported course…

Highlights the role of the moral dimension in educational inquiry, exploring the issue of whether or not the moral dimension of teaching is reflected in the research literature. Suggests a conception in which the moral perspective is emphasized according to the purpose it has in the investigation, making it possible to speak of educational…

Explored the conceptual and empirical issues related to the moral and ethical basis of professional practice in teaching through a study of two culturally diverse elementary school classrooms in urban Canada. The practices of these two teachers illustrate the moral values inherent in their teaching approaches. (SLD)

Studied how teachers' professional and religious orientations relate to their behavior when confronted with morally critical incidents. Results for 452 teachers who completed a questionnaire suggest that both professional and religious orientations play a role and provide explanations for teachers' behavior. (SLD)

Surveyed teachers (n=86), parents (n=180), and students (n=571) in the Netherlands about what they considered to be the moral task of the teacher and how they viewed two dominant concepts: transfer of values and value communication. Stimulating communication about values was seen as most important by parents, teachers, and students. (SLD)

Studied the moral concerns and orientations of 100 sixth graders and 94 ninth graders in Finland through their written stories. Findings show that sixth and ninth graders emphasize different kinds of moral conflicts in schools, and that there are gender differences as well as age differences. (SLD)

Compared the placement of moral contents in the belief systems of students and teachers in Israel and compared the structures of the belief systems with those outlined by S. Schwartz (1992). Findings for samples of 92 high school teachers, 489 elementary school teachers, 357 high school teachers, and 300 adolescents (Israeli-born and…

Developed and evaluated a middle school literacy program designed to meet the needs of urban early adolescents. Findings from evaluation in two schools implementing the Student Team Reading and Writing program and three comparison schools indicated higher achievement for program participants. (SLD)

Advocates diary writing as an interpretive research method, presents a reflection on the potential and quality attributes of diary writing, explains how to do diary writing, and presents an illustrative example of a researcher's diary and its content analysis. (SLD)

Studied the school careers of Dutch students of ethnic minority background in the first 5 years following the transition to secondary education using a database of the Dutch Central Statistics Office with a sample of 19,524 students, 1,140 of whom were of minority background. Findings show few reasons to be negative about the school careers of…

Performed a baseline assessment of the new curriculum standards of mathematics for elementary education in Flanders, studying the achievement of 5,763 sixth graders. Overall, the more innovative curriculum standards were less likely to be well mastered. Few gender differences in performance were observed. (SLD)

Describes the project "Effective School Improvement," designed to investigate the relationship between effectiveness and improvement in eight European countries. Presents a framework for the analysis of the case studies on school improvement projects in this special issue. (SLD)

Compared two programs in England with regard to their roles in stimulating effective school improvement: the Local Education Authority in Birmingham and a university-inspired improvement project. Visits to 10 primary and secondary schools revealed factors that promote and discourage the capacity to change. (SLD)

Presents case studies of five effective school improvement (ESI) programs developed in Spain. Identified characteristics of the Spanish education system that affect the way ESI programs are carried out and developed descriptions of the five programs and lessons learned from them. (SLD)