Research comparing the performance of experts and novices and research on learning and transfer strongly suggests that in order to develop competence in an area of inquiry, students must have a deep foundation of factual knowledge, understand the facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework and organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School, John D. Bransford, Ann L. Brown, and Rodney R. Cocking, editors, Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2000.

Studies of effective schools have consistently shown that a safe and orderly environment is necessary before learning can occur in schools. The classroom that fosters children’s success is a classroom environment that encourages all students to trust one another, to take risks, to share ideas and to learn successfully. Purkey, S., & Smith, M. (1983). "Effective schools: a review". The Elementary School Journal, 83(4), 427-452.

An important factor in areas where people perform visual tasks is that our eyes are most comfortable adjusted by neutral, non-distracting, cool colors. The colors of nature seem to be more satisfying. Venolia, Carol. Healing Environments, Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts, 1988.

Evidence gathered from a study of 40 schools indicates that students learn more effectively within an environment-based context that employs natural and socio-cultural environments as the context for learning than within a traditional educational framework. Fourteen of the study schools conducted comparative analyses of data from both environment-based and traditional students. 92% of the comparisons in an analysis of both comprehensive and subject-matter specific, standardized tests indicate that students who have been in environment-based programs academically outperform their peers in traditional programs. Lieberman, Gerald A. and Hoody, Linda L. Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning, San Diego, CA: State Education and Environment Roundtable, 2002.

Students learn better from thematic, interdisciplinary instruction than from a traditional single-subject curriculum. Students in interdisciplinary courses outscored their peers in single-discipline subjects. Yorks, P., & Follo, E. "Engagement rates during thematic and traditional instruction". ERIC Document Reproduction Service. [ED 363 412] 1993.

"This paper reports the effects of thematically integrated mathematics instruction on achievement, attitudes, and motivation in mathematics among middle school students of Mexican descent. A school-university collaborative effort led to the development and testing of a thematic approach undertaken as a means of contextualizing instruction for students considered to be at risk for school failure. Instruction relied heavily on small collaborative learning groups and on hands-on activities designed to help students make real-world sense of mathematical concepts. As hypothesized, experimental and control students made equivalent gains in computational skills, but experimental students (who received thematic instruction) surpassed controls in achievement on mathematical

concepts and applications." Henderson, R. W., Landesman, E. M. "Mathematics and Middle School Students of Mexican Descent: The Effects of Thematically Integrated Instruction. National Center for Research On Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning", University Of California, Santa Cruz, 1992.

Comparisons between the Humanitas program, an interdisciplinary, thematic, team-based approach to high school humanities in Los Angeles, and 16 more traditional schools show that the program has a significant effect on content knowledge, particularly conceptual understanding. Aschbacher, Pamela, & Herman, Joan. "The Humanitas Program Evaluation, 1990-91", Center for the Study of Evaluation, UCLA Graduate School of Education: Los Angeles, 1991.

Individual teachers can have a profound effect on student learning. Some instructional strategies have a high probability of enhancing student achievement for all students in all subject areas and at all grade levels. Marzano, Robert J., Pickering, Debra J., Pollock, Jane E. Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Alexandira, VA: ASCD, 2001.

"The evidence is consistent, positive, and convincing; many forms of family and community involvement influence student achievement at all ages. The more families support their children’s learning and educational progress, both in quantity and over time, the more their children tend to do well in school and continue their education. Family and community involvement that is linked to student learning has a greater effect on achievement than more general forms of involvement." A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement, A research synthesis authored by Anne T. Henderson & Karen L. Mapp, Austin, TX: SEDL, 2000

Professional development must include high quality content delivered within a framework that includes theory explanation, demonstration and practice. Research on training shows that the transfer of new knowledge and skills to the classroom is greatly increased when the initial training is followed by coaching. Joyce, Bruce and Showers, Beverly. Student Achievement Through Staff Development, Third Edition, Alexandira, VA: ASCD, 2002.

"A core group of teachers designed and planned several service-learning project over the summer months. 7th grade students were randomly assigned to an experimental group or control group. The experimental group (n=117) took part in service learning projects two periods each day for the academic year, and had their traditional "core" subjects reduced by ten minutes of instructional time a day. Those core teachers continued their involvement with the experimental group. Standardized test scores (MAT - Metropolitan Achievement Test) were gathered for all students at the end of their 6th grade year and after their 7th grade year. Students from the experimental group showed significantly higher gains than the control group after repeated measures of ANOVA (F=5.63, p>.02). Gains on the math portions contributed to most of the overall gain. A post hoc analysis of the MAT results of the experimental group showed no difference in gains by quartile (students in the highest quartile gained just as much as the students from the lowest quartile after service learning participation)." Santmire, T., Giraud, G. & Grosskopf, K. Furthering Attainment of Aacademic Standards Tthrough Service Learning. Presented at the National Service Learning Conference, San Jose, CA, April, 1999.