Indicators that the prospects for meaningful curricular reform are not optimistic are developed in this paper. The first premise is that research on curricular reform has been limited in its applicability to practitioner concerns. Another dilemma in the translation of research on curricular reform for practitioners is the continuing wide gap in…

Recent commission and task force reports calling for significant improvements in American education are considered in this set of three papers, and methods for implementing the recommendations are suggested. In his paper, Glen Harvey reviews the reports, noting the extent to which they fail to consider change implementation research and commenting…

Uses the literature on teacher change and learning to teach, and examples from a teacher change research project, to examine how research can be used to bring about change in teaching practices. Suggests that the empirical premises derived from research, combined with a teacher's practical knowledge, can produce teacher change. (FMW)

Two complementary strategies intended to achieve a strengthening of the American educational system within the next 5 years and a transformation of that system within 10 years are presented in this report. The shorter, 5-year strategy targets conventional schools and is intended to help raise student achievement and professional competence. The…

Drawing on research conclusions about the process of educational change, this report seeks to demonstrate the importance of understanding the diverse factors that inhibit or enable school improvement efforts. The report focuses on leadership and support in achieving successful change and stresses that principals are but one of several players who…

Change processes at the school building level are considered in order to formulate a number of locally based strategies, derived from research, for significantly improving schools and classrooms. Part I of the three-part analysis examines, through illustration, what is known about successful change processes at the school and classroom levels.…

Originally presented at a 1986 conference on student discipline strategies, this collection of papers represents highlights of the conference proceedings. Each paper has since been revised and updated. An introduction by Oliver C. Moles discusses the nature, extent, and academic effects of student misbehavior. In "Classroom Management Techniques,"…

In the attempt to improve achievement test scores, schools may overlook affective activities and events as well as processes and procedures that influence students in positive ways. The self-fulfilling prophecies held by teachers, administrators, and others for their students and the self-concepts the students hold for themselves are two major…

Asserts that, although research can be a powerful resource in guiding and fueling grass-roots social change, the community-based research enterprise often is contentious. Recommends collaborative research studies in which the researchers and practitioners work together from the project's inception. (CFR)

This issue presents two articles on the use of data to improve results for students with disabilities. The first paper examines how researchers supported by the Office of Special Education Programs are discovering innovative uses of scientifically derived information in instructional and administrative decision making as well as strategies for…

This volume evaluates the effects of contemporary issues and technological trends upon the nature of Western society's educational systems and its ability to cope with changes in employment. The work is a translation from Italian. Three chapters emphasize higher education and compulsory education's relationship to a future society of quality…

A curriculum project is described which illustrates the use of collaborative inquiry, a cooperative effort between university researchers and educational practitioners. Four tenets of collaborative inquiry are outlined. (1) Researchers and school practitioners work together on all phases of the effort. (2) The effort is focused on real world as…

To broaden the scope of effective schools research by including change processes and a wider unit of study, this project investigated three Georgia school districts demonstrating improvements in student achievement for three consecutive years. Research identified these elements: (1) the sequence and influence of events, factors, and people…