Somalia has a long and rich oral literacy tradition of poetry, proverbs, and songs, while Somalia's print literacy history has been significantly disrupted by colonization and then the Somali Civil War. Many Somalis have fled the country since the start of the civil war in 1991, and an estimated 10,000 Somalis have made a new home in Maine. When…

Globalization and shifting demographics have led to a call for an immediate change in education-based counseling. Future school counselors must be equipped with 21st century skills that are applicable across cultural boundaries and applied in a global context. "Addressing Multicultural Needs in School Guidance and Counseling" is a…

In the past decade, traditional classroom teaching models have been transformed in order to better promote active learning and learner engagement. "Implementation and Critical Assessment of the Flipped Classroom Experience" seeks to capture the momentum of non-traditional teaching methods and provide a necessary resource for individuals…

Student outcomes in online courses trail considerably behind those in face-to-face courses. In order to gain insight into why this might be, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) undertook a series of studies that examined 23 high-demand, entry-level online courses at two community colleges in one state. CCRC researchers observed the online…

The New Media Consortium (NMC) and the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), with the generous support of Dell and Intel, have jointly released the "Technology Outlook for Community, Technical, and Junior Colleges 2013-2018: An NMC Horizon Project Sector Analysis." This report applies the process developed…

"What's Wrong with Our Schools and How We Can Fix Them" examines the status of public education in North America and exposes many of the absurd instructional practices found in all-too-many schools. Written by three experienced educators, this book provides readers with a direct window into public education. The language is straightforward, the…

The default policy in almost all schools is to assign homework on a regular basis. Alfie Kohn argues that this would make sense only if the homework is beneficial--which it usually is not. He proposes that we re-evaluate the quantity and quality of such assignments and help teachers to rethink the tendency to give homework even when it seems…

Use Friday Focus memos to motivate and engage your staff every week, and help create a school culture focused on the growth of students "and" teachers. Easy to understand and implement, Friday Focus memos offer an effective and efficient way to improve student learning, staff development, and school culture from within. Written by educational…

This book displays tools and templates for planning, organizing, and monitoring a beginning principal's daily tasks. The templates can also be downloaded from Eye On Education's website and they include: (1) planning calendar; (2) homework policy; (3) letter to community partners; (4) letter of introduction to your staff; and (5) staff meeting…

Marzano (2003) identified 11 factors that positively influence student achievement. Those factors can be divided into three categories: school-level practices, teacher-level practices, and student-level characteristics. Interestingly, Marzano (2000) found that school- and teacher-level influences account for only 20% of the variance in student…

Responds to Bill Barber's recent article refuting the author's conclusions concerning the beneficial effects of homework on student achievement. Asserts that the amount, frequency, nature, conditions, and other characteristics of homework must be studied, not just homework versus none at all. Homework is one of many factors contributing to…

For many years, homework has been a topic of heated public discussion and concern of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Perhaps the most crucial question regards its efficacy for improving academic achievement. This book combines the results of research studies and exemplary practices to provide guidance about homework to…

President Reagan lists six steps for returning excellence to American education: restore discipline, end drug and alcohol abuse, raise academic standards, encourage good teaching, restore local control, and teach the basics. (MD)

Repudiates Herbert Walberg's recent review article touting homework's beneficial effects on achievement scores. Presents evidence showing that good learning environments, interactive situations, and less restricted access to community and school resources (including new technologies) were of greater significance. Faults schools' organizational…

A program is described that successfully involves parents in their child's education at a middle school in Louisiana. (MD)