If we think in bytes, our eyes are designed for sight and take in billions of bytes of information, which is then processed... More > as a visual scene with some final interpretation. If I said look at the black cat crossing the street, then you would have some sense of reference and could quickly see a black cat in the mind’s eye, whether it is a caricature or past visual scene. All of this is good, but without an effective instructional management processes, will students achieve? In mechanisms this month, we will continue with part II of our Bilingual/ESL series, show the correlation of instructional management to assessment and link to the “Physics of the Forest” PBL project. (11 Pages) < Less

VisualRealization.com began as 3-year pilot project using: conceptual instruction; enabling technologies (digital cameras,... More > video recorders, authoring technology, computers); and PBS and PBL models. The pilot allowed VisualRealization.com educational leaders to develop instructional strategies, methods and activities using visuals to represent complex information, stimulate direct observations and enhance students’ science understanding, which ultimately became core components of the program’s model, DIIMSA® (Digital Imagery as an Instructional Mode for Student Achievement).
VisualRealization.com was selected by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) as an exemplary science success story for improving science education. This selection was out of thousands of programs and projects to be amongst the 15 success stories in the nation for improving science education as it pertains to the visions for the reform of teaching, assessment, professional development and content. < Less

The Visual Realization Program has been recognized by The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) as an Exemplary... More > Science Standards-Based success story in their new 2006 Exemplary Science monograph Volume III series. This series profiles what teachers should be doing less of and more emphasis of what teachers need to do as a part of real reform. We will continue to strive high and keep like mindsets for differentiated professional development as we provide positive, engaging, effective and worthwhile experiences for teachers and students during projects, which ultimately increases teacher quality and student achievement.

In a series of articles, we will focus on the results of one project using the DIIMSA Model highlighted on a specific model design to show connections across the campus-based, field excursion, laboratory and case study model designs. < Less

This Practice-Based Instructional Edition is focused on Engaging the Net Generation in Scientific Processes, A novel math... More > and science partnership project using the results of an innovative case study.
This edition illustrates ways to instill Scientific Processes in the "Net" Generation, while increasing "general procedural skills". From investigating diversity to participating in group activities, teachers that were once nonchalant about this generation of students need to welcome, understand and steer their curiosity and novelty towards STEM areas. Project-Based Study (PBS) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) are used as the instructional models integrated with "Visual Realization", which allows learners to use digital imagery to do conceptual modeling of a defined problem or scenario and see things in the "mind's eye". (Contact us for Institutional or Volume purchases) (10 pages) < Less

Digital transfer and communication seems to be a dominant way of communicating for learners that were born into technology.... More > As learners capture, manipulate and author information and then transfer this information digitally using cell phones or other devices in this wireless society, they become reporters, pro-composers and experts in observing and recording of experiences. So how do we teach teachers to deal with these mindsets? One way is to emphasize the already focused approach of observing and recording dynamic experiences across states of matter in various environments which is the focus of this issue. < Less

What are Visual Interpretations? Are they only the seen and observed by the naked eye or the unseen and unobserved by the... More > naked eye? As we continue to look at ways to observe and record experiences, unseen interpretations are becoming more apparent as learners make connections across STEM concepts to make effective decisions and begin to think critically to become rational beings. Such interpretations may include chemicals that may impact habitats within the same ecosystem or field tests results across varying habitats, which both can really enlighten students on how STEM concepts converge in the natural world.

In this issue, we will continue the Ecological Photosynthesis and Respiration Project with the DIIMSA model Field Excursion design. This segment of the project profiles the student-centered Field Excursion that allowed students to “make decisions on the fly” and continue field testing that leads to proper laboratory investigations. < Less

The way science is taught in many schools today involves a lot of memorization and verification by students to “get... More > past” the content. However, it should be synonymous to the way memories are created. If we look back at “photos” in a high school yearbook or a college scrapbook, various memories of friends and experiences can easily be connected using a recorded visual scene, especially if there was a specific remarkable experience. Why should science memories be any different? As teachers attempt to “cover science content”, they should strive to look for experiences that create science memories. Such science memories will stimulate students to reach back to attain science concept knowledge.

In mechanisms this month, we will probe the chemistry of aquatic habitats using a PBS field excursion, which illustrates varying inquiry levels among learners that stem from memories. < Less

Should the entire emphasis of Advanced Placement (AP) courses be driven by AP curriculum standards? Or should the standards... More > be used as the driving force to allow higher levels of student engagement for deeper learning using a student’s frame of reference? Some researchers say that AP courses are for the best and brightest, but based on what criteria? These are general questions that teachers should ask themselves as courses labeled “AP” are taught.

In this volume of mechanisms, we will look at AP Biology, which is taught as the next level in Biology for high school students that want to move into higher levels of Biology. < Less

This Practice-Based Instructional Edition is focused on effective Decision Analysis in Learner Investigations. With the... More > requirements of NCLB, open-minded and grounded education leaders have revamped traditional curriculum models/methods. They are providing teachers with a phased continuum of research based professional development resources and incorporating new strategies in professional development that will stimulate and encourage teachers to engage and challenge learners. This refocused mindset has allowed these leaders to seek ways to infuse in classroom efforts effective decisions that allow Scientific Processes to be learned, while meeting the demands of NCLB. Project-Based Study (PBS) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) are used as the instructional models integrated with "Visual Realization", which allows learners to use digital imagery to do conceptual modeling of a defined problem or scenario and see things in the "mind's eye". (10 Pages, Contact us for Institutional or Volume purchases) < Less

Quantitative vs. Qualitative outcomes, which truly measures the impact of an experience? What does quantitative data really... More > have to do with the transfer of an experience to a teacher’s classroom? Yes, graphs, trends, data tables are all good to decide how to correct scenarios, profile trends and categorize mindsets, but what about really impacting a person’s character towards subjects, concepts, content and other minds?

This issues explores the Experience-Based Excursions from one of our yearly summer Experience-Based teacher institutes with Aldine ISD. We will also highlight a student’s summer experience to the Northwest Pacific Coast and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Both excursions were Experience-Based for true understanding of STEM concepts. < Less