Concept maps are commonly used in a variety of educational settings as a learning aid or instructional tool. Additionally, their potential as a research tool has been recognized. This article defines features of concept maps, describes the use of pre- and postconcept maps as a research tool, and offers a protocol for employing concept maps as an effective research tool. To illustrate the viability of concept maps as a research tool, specific steps and examples are provided from a study that used concept maps to investigate the conceptual change of pre-service and in-service teachers after participation in special and general education courses using multimedia case-based instruction. Support for concept maps as a research tool to evaluate learning and growth in knowledge are provided with specific procedures for creating a concept map quality scoring system.

Interactive, multimedia cases with technology supports present new ways of teaching and learning in teacher education. In this mixed-methods, naturalistic study, the authors investigate how and what participants learn from multimedia cases and, in particular, how instructional implementation affects learning outcomes from multimedia cases. Multimedia cases with technology supports were implemented in 20 different higher education courses with varying University of Missouri—Columbia instructional modes involving 251 pre-service and practicing teacher education students from four different universities. Results indicate that how multimedia cases are integrated into courses makes a difference in case-based learning outcomes and that these differences are evidenced in both quantitative and qualitative data. Overall, significant learning occurred for all instructional implementation groups with one exception—limiting use of cases to context for additional course assignments was not effective. Implications for teacher education are explored.

This article reports findings from a follow-up study of teacher education students who utilized multimedia cases in coursework in preparation for teaching students with emotional/behavioral disorders. The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained through multimedia case-based instruction were maintained following coursework with the cases and transferred to discussions of classroom practice. Research subjects included 16 students who agreed to participate in an online follow-up support group during the two semesters after their use of multimedia cases in their teacher education courses. The independent variable was testing condition (postinstruction versus follow-up Semester 1 versus follow up Semester 2). Dependent variables included the breadth of concept (nodes), the interconnectedness of concept (links), and the quality of content contained in concept maps completed at preinstruction, postinstruction, and two follow-up points in time. Results indicated that conceptual change occurred between preinstruction and the first follow-up phase, and these changes in conceptual knowledge were maintained during the follow-up period while participants were employed in schools. Qualitative data provide a rich understanding of the study findings by relating transfer of knowledge, skills, and attitudes to the prior case instruction and scaffolds embedded in the cases.

A key challenge in secondary education and transition is ensuring that students with disabilities are prepared to access and participate in postsecondary education. Electronic performance support systems offer potential for addressing needs of secondary students who are at risk for failure or who encounter challenges in school due to high-incidence disabilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of training and implementation of an electronic performance support systems on targeted IEP goals for ninth and twelfth grade students with disabilities. A series of multiple probe designs was used to examine the effectiveness of tool usage across four ninth grade students and four twelfth grade students as well as to investigate tool usage across settings (training, academic, and transition) for each student. This study demonstrated an improvement in target behaviors when the intervention was introduced in the training setting for ninth grade and twelfth grade students with high-incidence disabilities. In addition, each student showed some improvement in the target behavior when the intervention was implemented across settings. The authors discuss limitations along with implications for future research and practice.

If only he could learn to control his behavior, he would …If only he could organize and plan better, he would be … H ave you ever heard someone say or have you ever said something like this to a student or perhaps to your own child? Helping children gain self-control to reduce problem behaviors and increase desirable behaviors is a neverending issue with educators. Likewise, facilitating the development and use of organization and planning skills by children can be challenging. For many, the traditional method of helping children develop self-control, organization, and planning skills is to discuss with them what they are doing wrong and then, when time permits, describe to them what they should do instead. Sometimes teachers or parents will accompany the verbal interaction with direct instruction on the desired behavior and reinforce it when it is performed. This traditional method requires the child to remember what he or she has been told or has practiced and then to use the information next time the situation arises so as to act in accordance with expectations.She knows the strategy; she just seems to have trouble seeing when to use it. The grades are low because she is always late turning in assignments.This article provides an overview of KidTools, an electronic performance software system designed for elementary and middle school children to use independently on classroom or home computers. The software system contains 30 computerized research-based strategy tools that can be implemented in a classroom or home environment. Through the research-based intervention strategies and corresponding computerized templates in KidTools, children are given tools to help them gain control of problem behaviors. A brief description of the software, how to use it, resources available for teachers and parents, and two classroom examples are offered.