This paper reports on case studies of three teachers managing an education reform focussed on assessment, during a busy period of curriculum change in an Australia state Participants attended multiple professional development opportunities including a number of state-wide, systemically-facilitated assessment workshops. The most significant finding…

Because the quality of teachers determines the quality of the school system, teachers must be provided with high-caliber inservice programs. During the 1980s, responsibility for the provision of professional development in Australia shifted to local schools. Under the current National Professional Development Program (NPDP), the Australian…

This document presents the case studies from a multi-phase study of the impact of Australia's Frontline Management Initiative (FMI), which provides a framework for competency-based development of frontline managers in Australian enterprises. Nineteen organizational case studies and one individual case study of the FMI's impacts are included. The…

Although much is known about the features that contribute to the effectiveness of professional learning activities these are often not incorporated into the design of professional learning initiatives. This paper describes a mathematics professional learning process that was carefully designed to incorporate such principles, and illustrates its…

Follow-up study of the extent to which teachers implemented objectives of a course on microcomputer applications up to two years after they had taken the course indicated that school districts' investments in inservice education will have limited returns if they only provide the courses and neglect to anticipate or provide follow-up support.…

Professional development policy of a small, rural education system in New South Wales (Australia) allows control of staff development at system, school, and individual levels; and identifies a rationale and aim, assumptions, principles of procedure, and characteristics of a healthy professional learning environment. These features guide…

This report presents recommendations of the Queensland Board of Registration's Induction Working Party, whose mission was to study the role of induction in the professional development of beginning teachers. The terms of reference of the Working Party were: to advise the board on possible approaches to the systematic development and implementation…

This investigation monitored the perceived effectiveness of a professional development program, called Facilitating Effective Learning and Teaching, in improving teacher practice. The program assumes that improvement is likely when the participants understand and value the learning process and themselves as learners and teachers. Program…

This report summarizes a survey of participants in a teacher training program for the First Steps project, which provides additional support for development of literacy and numeracy among "at-risk" students in Western Australia schools. The training program was to assist teachers in implementing the program in their schools. Respondents…

A survey of 150 schools in Western Australia asked principals, teachers, and parents about the extent to which the First Steps program literacy component was operating in their schools and their perceptions of the results of the implementation. The First Steps program is designed to support the development of literacy and numeracy among…

This report contains recommendations and guidelines for the development of a national computer education program for all Australian schools. The introduction provides background information on the appointment of the National Advisory Committee on Computers in Schools, including the guidelines and objectives set for it by the government. Chapter 2,…

This examination of individual transition plans (ITPs) for students with disabilities in New South Wales, Australia, looked at effectiveness of the system and procedures, and involvement of teachers in the development of the ITPs. It found that the numbers of written ITPs grew from 156 (56 percent of potential) in 1989 to 340 (74 percent) by June…