Access to arts education in the United States continues to be inequitably distributed as a function of socioeconomic status and race. In response, arts practitioners and policymakers have worked to expand access to arts education among children from lower-income households and racially or ethnically minoritized (REM) backgrounds. In so doing, they…

This volume is both a state-of-the-art display of current thinking on second language development as a complex system. It is also a tribute to Diane Larsen-Freeman for her decades of intellectual leadership in the academic disciplines of applied linguistics and second language acquisition. The chapters therein range from theoretical expositions to…

Adult and continuing education practitioners are the core group of staff that enable the lifelong learning enterprise. However, there are few studies that look into the domain of practice of these practitioners, which is shaped by the organisation and its wider external milieux. Research on this topic naturally calls for the elucidation of…

Multiplatform e-learning systems are emerging technologies that provide integrated learning content to various accessing devices. This book addresses technical challenges, design frameworks, and development experiences of the future that integrate multiple mobile devices into a single multiplatform e-learning system. With expert international…

Organized action need not depend on group consensus. Karl Weick's theory argues that only minimal shared understanding is needed and that common ends and shared meanings may be outcomes of organized action, not prerequisites. This paper reveals four communication mechanisms that generate and sustain equifinal meaning (multiple routes to a single…

A recognition of pradigmatic diversity and the contribution of multiple paradigms to planning greatly enriches both theory and practice. This analysis groups planning definitions into two general models, associates both with hard and soft systems thinking, and examines conceptual roots. The interpretive/humanist paradigm often highlights…

Because of the increased recognition of the multi-dimensionality of problems facing older adults and the need for greater focus on individual problems, increased efforts are being made to assess the needs of individuals. One promising area in this effort is functional assessment, which moves away from the use of chronological age, which classifies…

Synthesizes a conceptual framework (or linguistic-conceptual systems) for thinking about conceptual frameworks, discusses their potential for helping users develop competence in applying them to unstructured problem solving, and outlines instructional implications. The theory-practice gap arises partly from failure to conceptualize the nature of…

The purpose of this article is to suggest a research-based systemic plan for educational researchers, practitioners, and policymakers involved in the change process to implement successful technology integration in the context of teacher education. This article provides a background about reform efforts in science education in the United States in…

Designed to serve as an introduction to instructional development for the teacher or graduate student who has not read extensively in the field, this chapter presents an operational definition of the instructional development process; explores the human dimensions of the process; provides graphic models of instructional development; and makes…

This glossary offers definitions of almost 600 terms normally associated with the field of educational technology in brief and easy-to-understand form, all in Spanish (a Portugese version exists). The terms are organized into six major areas: learning, communications, instructional design, evaluation, media production, and systems theory. (Author)

The evaluation criteria from the 1987 National Council for Accrediation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation standards were used as the basis for the design of professional preparation programs. A series of models are shown, which progress from an overview model to eight more specific sub-models. The design is intended to be generic and can…

This literature review discusses the nature of instructional development (ID) and the ID movement, and examines the factors affecting the success of ID in higher education, focusing in particular on the organization and implementation of ID programs. The role of ID agencies is discussed and the various characteristics of such agencies are…

During the summer of 1986 a group of 15 racially diverse students entering 10th and 11th grades participated in an intensive 4-week course taught by members of an NSF-funded project. The project's goals were to develop science and mathematics curricula based on the principles of systems dynamics. The course was a test of materials intended to…

This essay is a companion document to a statistical study of student dropouts conducted by the San Diego City Schools. Various definitions of dropout are presented, as well as a discussion of types of dropout or attrition rates: (1) annual dropout rate; (2) enrollment ratio dropout rate; (3) cumulative tracking dropout rate; and (4) estimated…