This exploratory study was designed to assess the experience of preservice teachers when integrating written language technology and their likelihood of applying that technology in their future classrooms. Results suggest that after experiencing technology integration, preservice teachers are more likely to use it in their future teaching.

The fraudulent claims by policymakers and pundits that the United States is losing its economic competitiveness due to a failing education system continue unabated. However, the latest data on competitiveness suggest that it is poor economic policy, not education, that is holding back the economy.

Gain a new perspective on the sharing of erroneous solutions in classroom discussions. Based on their research in grades four and six, the authors reveal how student-to-student correction of errors promotes mathematical reasoning and understanding. Tips for teachers include strategies for using students' errors to encourage reasoning during…

This narrative considers how well equipped today's teacher education students and faculty are to meet the demands of the new Common Core State Standards. Data from the Teacher Education Accreditation Council's national evaluation of teacher education programs gives a mixed picture that, while mostly encouraging, also reveals that some…

Out-of-school, community demographic and family-level variables have an important influence on student achievement as measured by large-scale standardized tests. Studies described here demonstrated that about half of the test score is accounted for by variables outside the control of teachers and school administrators. The results from these…

The release of the 2012 results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) on December 3, 2012, by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ([OECD], 2013) brought about another round of public education fear mongering on the part of bureaucrats and policymakers. However, weaknesses with the PISA test design,…

Secretary of Education Duncan (2010) lamented the state of U.S. education in 2010 after the release of the results from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). He wrote: "Unfortunately, the 2009 PISA results show that American students are poorly prepared to compete in today's knowledge economy. President Obama…

What are acute poverty challenges for culturally disadvantaged school communities across the United States? How do practicing teacher-researchers, pursuing advanced degrees, view this issue and the 21st century skills and dispositions classroom teachers need to foster change? Curious about this topic from the viewpoints of teachers who are…

The English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards ([CCSS], 2010) could have a transformational effect on American education. Though the process seems daunting, one can begin immediately integrating the essence of the ELA Common Core in every subject area. This article shows how one could implement the Common Core and create coherent,…

This article examines: (1) why learning comes so naturally for some students and yet is so onerous for others; (2) why some students need constant reminders while others get on task right away; and (3) why some students "just don't get it" even after countless repetitions and multitudes of practices. This paper describes the…

"Curriculum" is one of those contested educational concepts that everyone uses, but almost no one agrees upon a definition. Scholars in curriculum studies have been fighting about it for years, and have done so to little ends. So before considering "What Curriculum Could Be," it is important to articulate just what the author means when he talks…

Since the adoption of the first charter school law in Minnesota in 1991, charter schools have received considerable attention from policy makers, parents, educators, and the media. In the United States, at the national level, three consecutive presidents--Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama--have actively supported charters. Given the…

Based on his own teaching experiences and findings, the author discusses the experience gap between U.S. and Japanese students' knowledge of World War II. He compares and contrasts how the subject of World War II is taught in the United States versus Japan. While it takes teacher effort to enrich the history experiences of U.S. students, the…

This article first explores the theoretical bases for why dramatic forms of instruction stimulate student learning and recall. Next, the article considers a practice that systematically applies drama, fun, and fantasy to embed selected content objectives into students' memory. This practical tool, which facilitates instructional reform in the…

Storytelling was first developed as a means of transferring important historical information from one generation to another. Though stories are told today more often for entertainment and amusement, the art of storytelling remains of significant value to society. Whether the children are telling the story or simply listening to it, the benefits of…