Discover how education innovations can produce astonishing results in student success both in and out of school. The educators featured in this book were motivated by the conviction that even the best status quo education was not serving current student needs. They responded with radical changes that tap into recent ideas about educational…

Governing multi-level education systems requires governance models that balance responsiveness to local diversity with the ability to ensure national objectives. This delicate equilibrium is difficult to achieve given the complexity of many education systems. Countries are therefore increasingly looking for examples of good practice and models of…

Within the Global Learning Programme (GLP) in England there has been an explicit focus on encouraging more holistic 'whole school' practice and the need for better evidence of its impact. This paper describes how support for a whole school approach to global learning was rationalised and developed within the programme, and how such an approach was…

Development education and global learning, whilst being part of the landscape of education in England for over thirty years, have to date not had a high profile. What the terms mean, and their value and contribution to educational goals, have been described and defined in only a handful of publications. The introduction of the Global Learning…

This guide is designed to help school district leaders promote comprehensive school reform (CSR) and to assist schools in evaluating the implementation and outcomes of their CSR models. The guide discusses why evaluation is critical and how to use it as a tool for continuous improvement in CSR models. Summative and formative evaluations are…

This newsletter theme issue focuses on issues in including students with disabilities in regular education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act calls for students to be placed in the least restrictive environment, which is presumed by some educators to be the regular classroom. The drawbacks of separate programs are not felt to be…

General and specific strategies useful in facilitating an integrated educational environment for children with severe disabilities are presented. Strategies include, among others, identifying and facilitating natural supports, using a participation approach, demonstrating success locally, recruiting collaborators, communicating with all members of…

A model for a more student-centered research university is proposed, a central feature of which is the student-centered course, designed to be less faculty-focused and to have more impact on student learning. Ten key actions needed to create this institutional form are outlined. Common faculty objections to the model are also discussed. (MSE)

Educators in gifted education should be involved in the School Reform Movement because of the need of gifted learners for positive changes in education and because of the potential of the field to contribute to improved education for all students. Philosophical contributions, instructional contributions, and pedagogical contributions of gifted…

This digest contains three articles which consider ways to enhance the effectiveness of special education programs. The first article offers guidelines for more fully including special education in the school community, in the context of broader educational reform and restructuring efforts. First the need for reform is addressed. Next, indicators…

Reiterates the oft-heard complaint that social studies instruction relies too heavily on textbooks and lectures resulting in disinterested and alienated students. Recommends social studies adopt more experiential and constructivist teaching methods (role playing, educational games, student projects) and utilize multimedia and the Internet. (MJP)

This pamphlet provides an overview of the philosophical, legal, and research bases of responsible inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classes. Educators are urged to not disregard the continuum of service placement, which is legally required, but to recognize that most students with disabilities can be educated in regular classes in…

This volume explores the role and implications of collaborative learning for the mission and future of higher education and college teaching. Part I discusses the implications of nonfoundational social constructionist thought for colleges and universities. Nonfoundational notions of knowledge and social relations argue that knowledge has no…

This text, intended for school principals and others, provides an overview of the inclusion movement. Chapter 1, "The Context: How Far Have We Come and Where Are We Going?" (Patrick J. Schloss) provides the historical and legal context in which the concept of inclusion evolved. Key terms are defined, and the benefits of inclusion for students with…

This final report presents the results of an 18-month Connecticut symposia project to confront the difficult issues facing special education and to meet those challenges through a collaborative systemic change process. The project goal, objectives, and implementation procedures are specified, and background information on five targeted topics is…