Developing students' creative problem-solving skills is paramount to today's teachers, due to the exponentially growing demand for cognitive plasticity and critical thinking in the workforce. In today's knowledge economy, workers must be able to participate in creative dialogue and complex problem-solving. This has prompted institutions of higher education to implement new pedagogical methods such as problem-based and case-based education. The Handbook of Research on Creative Problem-Solving Skill Development in Higher Education is an essential, comprehensive collection of the newest research in higher education, creativity, problem solving, and pedagogical design. It provides the framework for further research opportunities in these dynamic, necessary fields. Featuring work regarding problem-oriented curriculum and its applications and challenges, this book is essential for policy makers, teachers, researchers, administrators, students of education.

Based on the earlier work of Dr. Robert J. Marzano, this instructional guide provides explicit steps, examples, and adaptations to help educators effectively teach students how to record and represent knowledge.

Addressing Social Issues in the Classroom and Beyond: The Pedagogical Efforts of Pioneers in the Field is comprised of essays that delineate the genesis and evolution of the thought and work of pioneers in the field of social issues and education. The authors (many of whom, themselves, are noted professors of education and who have done significant work in the field of social issues and education) delineate and analyze the efforts (e.g., theoretical work, research, curriculum development, and teaching) of such pioneers within the larger framework of their life-story. As a result, the reader is not only introduced to the significant work of each pioneer but valuable and often fascinating insights into how his/her life experiences informed his/her thinking, beliefs, goals and work. This book constitutes a rich and unusual record of the thinking and accomplishments of those luminaries who worked tirelessly in the belief that a well-educated and well-informed populace was absolutely imperative in a democracy if the latter were to remain healthy and vibrant. Beyond current scholars and students, we believe that this book will be of great interest to a wide spectrum of individuals: teacher educators who perceive the need to avail their students of the rich history, rationales and methods for incorporating the study of social issues across the curriculum; professors who teach history of curriculum courses and/or history of education courses are likely to be drawn to the book, both for the rich stories as well as the bounty of information found in each chapter; those who specialize in autobiographical studies in the field of education are likely to find the book to be remarkably rich and valuable both for their own research as well as in their teaching; secondary level teachers in science, social studies, and English who are interested in incorporating the study of social issues into the courses they teach will glean incredibly rich insights into why and how to go about such an endeavor; and future scholars and students who care deeply about how society impacts education, education impacts society, and how individuals and groups can have a positive impact on society through their collective efforts are bound to find the book both fascinating and instructive.

Never before have parents, teachers, and other advocates for young people been more concerned about the declining quality of higher education. One skill that many students lack when they arrive at college is the ability to write well. The contributors to "Teacher Commentary on Student Papers" analyze some of the cultural, social, and moral changes that have altered the way in which education is given and received, and they offer approaches that have assisted them as teachers both in evaluating the quality of student writing and guiding students to improve their writing.

Areas of expertise of the contributors include composition, cultural studies, English education, literature, writing, and rhetoric. The collection will appeal to both graduate and undergraduate students as well as to experienced and beginning teachers.

This introduction to meditation in education is written as a resource for class teachers and educators as a practical guide. Parents will also find it valuable, though its main focus is in using meditation in schools. The purpose of the book is to inspire and to provide concise, practical and general information, and techniques that can be considered and explored before introducing primary or secondary students to meditative experience.Meditation in schools covers such topics as:o information on schools where meditation is practiced, and the perceived resultso issues and concerns involved with introducing meditation in schoolso the relationship between mediation and other relaxation quieting techniqueso experiential learning and a holistic approach to educationThis essential guide is written from the contributors' personal and professional practice experience and emphasizes how meditation can contribute to the school environment and to the curriculum, as well as developing the positive potential of students' hearts and minds. It includes a useful section on further reading.

This book brings together the fields of artificial intelligence (often known as A.I.) and inclusive education in order to speculate on the future of teaching and learning in increasingly diverse social, cultural, emotional, and linguistic educational contexts. This book addresses a pressing need to understand how future educational practices can promote equity and equality, while at the same time adopting A.I. systems that are oriented towards automation, standardisation and efficiency. The contributions in this edited volume appeal to scholars and students with an interest in forming a critical understanding of the development of A.I. for education, as well as an interest in how the processes of inclusive education might be shaped by future technologies. Grounded in theoretical engagement, establishing key challenges for future practice, and outlining the latest research, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the complex issues arising from the convergence of A.I. technologies and the necessity of developing inclusive teaching and learning. To date, there has been little in the way of direct association between research and practice in these domains: A.I. has been a predominantly technical field of research and development, and while intelligent computer systems and 'smart' software are being increasingly applied in many areas of industry, economics, social life, and education itself, a specific engagement with the agenda of inclusion appears lacking. Although such technology offers exciting possibilities for education, including software that is designed to 'personalise' learning or adapt to learner behaviours, these developments are accompanied by growing concerns about the in-built biases involved in machine learning techniques driven by 'big data'.

Creative Collaboration in Teaching focuses on the question of how best to facilitate creative collaboration among students in the classroom setting-with a focus on music composition and from the perspective of social-cultural psychology. This book is comprehensive, cutting-edge and scholarly in its approach. Marcelo Giglio's attention to music and creativity is detailed enough to satisfy any researcher, educator or teacher educator; but at the same time, his research approach, classroom observations and overriding recommendations can be easily applied to a wide range of subject areas. Giglio combines a rigorous review of the relevant literatures on creativity and social interactions with the reporting and analysis of his own original data across the world, and then goes on to support this important work with detailed descriptions of classroom episodes-student-to-student and teacher-to-student interactions. By combining these three elements, this book offers socio-creative and pedagogical models for education in practice as well as teacher education and research.

This book explores successful transition strategies to, within and from university for students from around the globe, with Macquarie University, a large Australian university, studied in depth. It addresses the meaning of success taking a variety of perspectives, including student, staff and employer views. The chapters present a series of initiatives that have proven to be successful in assisting students in developing their academic potential throughout university and beyond. The authors of the chapters use a variety of methodologies and approaches reflecting the diverse local contexts and requirements. These international perspectives demonstrate a triumph of practice that has led to the empowerment of individuals and groups. The approaches from twelve universities located in eight different countries stem directly from the coalface and provide many valuable lessons and tools that colleagues in the sector will be able to consider and adapt in their own contexts. Small interventions matter, from a mentor of a nervous student who goes on to achieve greatness, to the use of a curriculum design model that hooks a whole group of students into learning and achievement. This book covers both the small, individual victories and the larger scale strategies that support success. Contributions emanate from Australia, Bangladesh, India, China, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, USA, Uruguay and South Africa.

As a growing number of North American educators seek unique cultural and professional experiences by teaching abroad, they need a comprehensive resource that addresses the many questions educators face when pursuing such a path. This collection combines the personal experiences of teachers from varying backgrounds, placements, and teaching assignments, with practical resources such as listings of recruiting agencies, job fairs, country research tools, and salary guidelines.

Growing naturally from people's need to share their stories with those preparing to join the camaraderie of international teaching, this project resists the formalities of academic or purely informative reporting. There are many variables in overseas teaching--culture shock, housing and transportation, schools and classrooms, and securing resources in a foreign land--and important lessons can be learned from how others have dealt with them. The authentic immediacy of these personal narratives will provide answers to important questions, offer insights on a variety of global issues, and inspire and entertain the teacher-reader. Individual chapters discuss core curriculum and ESL instruction in a variety of contexts. Essays are written in a blend of narrative and expository writing styles, transporting the reader to exotic locations and giving a firsthand experience of the challenges and victories encountered by international teaching professionals.

This book examines a range of complex issues concerning the professional experience (i.e., practicum) in English language teacher education with regard to curriculum design and implementation, as well as professional learning. Drawing on a sociocultural perspective, it explores the context of the professional experience, preservice teachers as learners of English language teaching, and the activity of learning to teach English language in connection with interrelated contextual and personal issues: contextual issues such as policies, curricula, university-school partnerships, and mentoring relations are investigated in relation to personal issues such as the beliefs, expectations, prior educational experiences, previous teaching experiences, and cultural-linguistic backgrounds of preservice teachers. In turn, the book addresses professional learning issues, including professional identity development, emotional experiences, and pedagogical learning, in depth. The book delves into the qualitative "fine-grained" aspects of the professional experience while also making valuable conceptual contributions through a sociocultural analysis of the professional learning experience, which can also be applied to research in other teacher education contexts. The findings presented here hold practical implications for English language teacher education in terms of developing a knowledge base for English language teaching and an effective model of professional experience to prepare English language teachers for working in today's expanded, diverse and dynamic neoliberal contexts.

This book focuses on the effect of psychological, social and demographic variables on student achievement and summarizes the current research findings in the field. It addresses the need for inclusive and interpretive studies in the field in order to interpret student achievement literature and suggests new pathways for further studies. Appropriately, a meta-analysis approach is used by the contributors to show the big picture to the researchers by analyzing and combining the findings from different independent studies. In particular, the authors compile various studies examining the relationship between student achievement and 21 psychological, social and demographic variables separately. The philosophy behind this book is to direct future research and practices rather than addressing the limits of current studies.

This book provides a comprehensive method for learning modern management processes, and applying those methods to improve leadership in educational settings. The authors include case studies and techniques to solve a variety of managerial problems so that members of the educational community may improve their abilities and skills in a range of related disciples, including: strategic planning, effective decision making, time management, management conflict strategies, oral communication, management strategies for school crises, and the development of good relations and a cooperative spirit.

A volume in TeachingLearning Indigenous, Intercultural Worldviews: International Perspectives on Social Justice and Human Rights Series Editor: Tonya Huber, St. Cloud State University, Minnesota In an increasingly global learning environment, teachers are challenged to meet a myriad of student needs-provide basic literacy and mathematics skills, improve scientific and technological thinking, increase bilingual and multi-lingual competencies. Reilly and Gangi provide a new vision of what it means to be literate and, more important, what it means to be a global citizen. This volume represents a wonderful move away from schooling and toward education. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison Mary Ann Reilly and Jane M. Gangi's book, Deepening Literacy Learning: Art and Literature Engagements in K-8 Classrooms, is a wonderful blending of methodologies. This juxtaposition of art and literature serves as an instrument for teachers to inspire their students to create, critique, compare and predict, all higher-level intellectual behaviors, while composing across symbol systems. The work contains detailed classroom transcripts of strategies that lend themselves to culturally responsive teaching while engaging students and developing in them the desire to learn. Judi Groves, Artist in Education, Arkansas City Arts Council Burford Center for the Arts, Kansas

Interactive Student Centered Learning: A Cooperative Approach to Learning concentrates on Student Centered Learning (SCL) which encompasses Active Learning (AL), Cooperative Learning (COL), Collaborative Learning (COLL), and occasionally Constructivism Learning (CONS) teaching methodologies. This book delves into a review of the theories of learning, providing insight into current research regarding how students learn as well as a review of traditional, teacher-centered learning and teaching theories. This book also includes three interactive student centered learning segments; a review of the process, an instructional development process, and an organizational curriculum for educators to utilize an (I/SCL) program. The handbook in the appendices provides teachers with knowledge and information on how to develop an (ISCL) curriculum for teaching students effectively in almost all subjects at the secondary and college level.

The game is as old as the culture. The game has been a coupling of one culture with another, of union of cultures, throughout the evolution of history. From ancient times to the present day, educators, philosophers, and historians have highlighted the role of play in education. Play is a source of learning both for the child, which allows them to develop their cognitive, motor, emotional and social development, as well as for teachers, when the latter see children as they learn through games, it will therefore be key to teachers know how to choose games well to achieve the desired learning in all children. The objective of this book is to present to the educational and scientific community the most significant advances in relation to gambling and especially motor play in childhood. In the period between 3 and 12 years. Inside, topics, research, systematic bibliographic reviews, and didactic proposals are addressed that relate the different types of games and social relationships, the affective, cognitive and motor domain in the school environment and in the extracurricular environment, the role that the teachers to games as an educational mediation strategy. To this end, the text deals with the conceptualization of the motor game in the different stages of development, traditional and current classifications of the different types of motor games are presented, and topics related to the methodological treatment of motor games in the classroom are introduced.

This book provides new insights into how interactions in early childhood education are being studied, and into what these studies' findings mean for improving the quality of early childhood education. The editors examine the methods, ethics, practices, and questions arising from such close work with children, families and educators, and have brought together a collection that highlights interactions research and practical implications for early childhood education and research, with the ultimate aim of shaping quality practices. Starting with an overview of interaction research and its pedagogical value in early childhood education the book subsequently introduces new interaction studies in early childhood from Europe and Australasia. Drawing from a range of perspectives and using different conceptual and methodological tools the contributors use their interactions research to comment collectively on process quality in early childhood education, and its relationship to the phenomenon of pedagogical interactions. The work as a whole bridges the gap between practice and research by addressing quality interactions for early learning (for practitioners) and providing researchers valuable information on methods for studying interactions within the everyday contexts of early childhood education.

This book is a valuable one for teacher educators and teacher education programs in the United States and Europe, since it is organized around numerous data sources. It contains national and international adaptations of the ABC's of Cultural Understanding and Communication. Authors for this book represent many languages and cultures and know, first hand, the socially constructed issues related to language, culture, and ethnicity. This book promises to make a significant contribution to preparing teachers to work with families and children. It should be read by all teacher educators as well as preservice and inservice teachers. In the new millennium teachers must redefine their responsibilities to ensure that ALL children have the opportunity to succeed. ABC's of Cultural Understanding and Communication: National and International Adaptations is a perfect place to start.

A call for the extension of hybrid learning urges that it become not just a quick fix or a boon for the bottom line, but an educational mode that reenvisions quality teaching and learning for the 21st century. Hybrid Learning: The Perils and Promise of Blending Online and Face-to-Face Instruction in Higher Education is an in-depth exploration of a new learning mode that could radically change higher education, incorporating emerging trends in technology and multimedia use-including online gaming, social networking, and other Web 2.0 applications-to create engaging and dynamic learning environments. Laying out fundamental challenges facing higher education today, this book shows how hybrid instruction can be designed and implemented to deliver excellent educational value in flexible modes and at moderate costs well-suited to the circumstances of many students and institutions. The book lays out the characteristic profiles of students who are most likely to benefit from and perform well in a hybrid learning environment, as well as the features and practices of hybrid courses most likely to produce positive learning outcomes. It also specifies the obligations of faculty in designing and delivering best-practice hybrid courses and the support and policy obligations of institutions. Challenging prima-facie assumptions about hybrid learning, the author promotes it as nothing less than an opportunity to reenvision education for the 21st century. Written in an easy-to-read, bullet-point style Gives practical, real-world examples of the successful diversity of hybrid learning programs, drawn from the author's personal hybrid teaching experience and interviews with faculty and students Includes specific examples of leading-edge applications, like the virtual world of Second Life and 3D web browsing with Exit Reality, which could inform successful hybrid course design Provides interesting and relevant anecdotes throughout

This book presents innovations in teaching and learning science, novel approaches to science curriculum, cultural and contextual factors in promoting science education and improving the standard and achievement of students in East Asian countries. The authors in this book discuss education reform and science curriculum changes and promotion of science and STEM education, parental roles and involvement in children's education, teacher preparation and professional development and research in science education in the context of international benchmarking tests to measure the knowledge of mathematics and science such as the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and achievement in science, mathematics and reading like Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Among the high achieving countries, the performance of the students in East Asian countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China (Shanghai) are notable. This book investigates the reasons why students from East Asian countries consistently claim the top places in each and every cycle of those study. It brings together prominent science educators and researchers from East Asia to share their experience and findings, reflection and vision on emerging trends, pedagogical innovations and research-informed practices in science education in the region. It provides insights into effective educational strategies and development of science education to international readers.