§16§This book presents examples of active learning from eight countries. Teachers realize that they must prepare students for independent and continuous learning in the emerging information society. In their classrooms, students individually or in groups exercise a relatively high degree of initiative and control over their own learning. This is an old idea, but many people doubt its validity. However, a growing body of research indicates that active learning can be effective if properly structured. Many teachers are increasingly interested in trying it. Through the lessons they create, and through their personal example, the innovating teachers described in this book are preparing students for their own lifetime of learning. Analytical chapters explore the role of metacognition, the relationship between individual and group, and the importance of structure. §02§The Editors: David Stern is Professor of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. From 1993 to 1995 he was principal administrator in the Center for Educational Research and Innovation at the OECD in Paris. He is the lead author of several recent books: School to Work: Research on Programs in the United States (Falmer Press, 1995), School-Based Enterprise (Jossey-Bass, 1994), and Career Academies (Jossey-Bass, 1992).§ The Contributors: D. Stern, P. R. J. Simons, , M. Baum/K. Dohring/P. Eckert, J. Dolin/G. Ingerslev, S. Hämäläinen/K. Häkkinen, E. Kimonen/R. Nevalainen, G. L. Huber/J. H. W. Roth, V. W. Withagen, I. Cordoba Rodriguez de Guzman, D. Hopkins/K. Black-Hawkins/K. Aldrige/H. Lay/P. Jewell/D. Davidson, S. Magri, R. C. Harris/P. Wangemann, C. P. Daniels, R. E. Slavin, H. Niemi.
