Language: Italian

ISSN: 1125-8527

Abstract/Notes: Portfolios have gained wide acceptance as a learning and assessment tool. Yet, little research has been reported on the practices of teachers who are actually using portfolios within their classrooms and how those practices are moderated by contextual variables. This research examined the instructional, learning, and assessment roles of student portfolios, and explored, from the perspective of the classroom teacher, variations in portfolio applications associated with teaching level (primary versus intermediate) and classroom environment (self-contained versus multiage/teaming). Teachers for kindergarten through grade 5 in 3 elementary schools (n=314) completed a survey questionnaire regarding the instructional and assessment uses to which portfolios are put within their classrooms. To further examine patterns of portfolio use, a subset of 44 teachers was interviewed to explore teacher perceptions about the impact of student portfolios on themselves and their students. Results suggest that these teachers make deliberate decisions regarding uses of their students' portfolios, decisions that appear heavily impacted by the maturity or skill level of the child, the purposes of the application, and the classroom environment within which the application occurs. They also depend on whether the portfolio product is in a formative state (working portfolio) or final state (performance portfolio). (Contains 7 tables and 14 references.) (Author/SLD)

Language: English

Published: Montreal, Canada, Apr 19-24, 1994

Abstract/Notes: The school environment must create a rich, beautiful, dynamic, meaningful experience for students to learn; however, architects, school boards, and the state focus almost exclusively only on the building when making design decisions. This document lists specific aspects to developing a visionary campus: one that provides a three-dimensional educational experience. Characteristics of the visionary campus include smaller size campuses, multi-age groupings, decentralized buildings, information access that goes beyond written or digital form, and sustainable architecture that is ecologically sound. (GR) Georgia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (GASCD)

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: The language immersion approach of the Intercultural Montessori School (Oak Park, Illinois) for children aged 2-6 years is described and discussed. An introductory section gives background information on early work with immersion by Maria Montessori, a personal experience leading to the school's establishment, and the response of language and education professionals, the public, and parents to the concept of preschool immersion. Subsequent sections discuss common patterns in the students' language learning experience at the school and the developmental stages the learners went through as the experiment progressed: pre-production; early production; speech emergence; and intermediate fluency. Anecdotal information about specific students and events are used for illustration. Observations about comprehensible input and the Montessori manipulables, whole language, and other instructional strategies are included. Specific recommendations are made for content and classroom procedures in early childhood immersion, based on this experience. The paper concludes with reflections on the potential of this environment for development of bilingualism.

Language: English

Published: Oak Park, Illinois: InterCultura Montessori School, 1997

Abstract/Notes: The Mississippi River Program was an interdisciplinary environmental education curriculum implemented in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The program integrated theory and practice of experiential, environmental, adventure, and place-based education, and was designed, implemented and assessed by the researcher. Effects of the Mississippi River Program on the environmental knowledge and awareness of middle school adolescents were unknown at the onset of this study. This was a quasi-experimental design involving non-random sampling of a charter Montessori Middle School as the experimental group (n=17), and a sample of public middle school students as the comparison group (n=18). A mixed-methods approach entailed quantitative assessment of mean pretest and posttest scores on the Environmental Knowledge and Beliefs Questionnaire, and a qualitative analysis of reflective papers written by the Montessori group. The research instrument was drawn directly from the state standards for environmental education for middle school adolescents, published by the Wisconsin Department of Instruction (1998). Results of ANOVA indicated a significant improvement in mean scores from pretest to posttest for the experimental group, with no significant difference in scores for the comparison group (p=.0002). Quantitative results revealed that Item Six of the survey instrument contributed significantly to the increase in scores (p=.0000). This Item required knowledge of environmental agencies, which the experimental group gained during “Outdoor Careers Day.” Student reflective papers written about experiences during this event were qualitatively assessed using an emergent open coding method, which revealed five environmental learning themes. Qualitative findings reinforced the quantitative results, indicating that the program participants improved significantly in knowledge of environmental content areas; and awareness of a personal relationship with, and responsibility to, the environment. Further investigations are needed to increase the research base for programs that incorporate multiple outdoor education models. Innovative educational approaches would also benefit from research on the long term effects of participation in these programs.

Language: English

Published: Mankato, Minnesota, 2006

Language: English

Published: New York: A. A. Knopf, 1930

Abstract/Notes: Presents the importance of outdoor learning environments for preschool and elementary classrooms. Filmed at the Montessori Center School in Phoenix, Arizona. Produced by NAMTA in cooperation with Montessori Center School, Phoenix, Arizona.

Runtime: 12 minutes

Language: English

Published: Burton, Ohio, 2006

Language: English

Language: English

Language: English