This digest briefly reviews connections among the literature on the adoption of innovations, technology integration, and the value of reflection in encouraging educators to explore the integration of new educational technologies into their current teaching practices. An approach to prompting reflection is described, which uses structured guidance…

Change efforts should be guided with a systemic understanding of the context in which they are undertaken. Depending on the circumstance, or as the implementation effort progresses, it may be most effective to focus interventions on a particular component of the framework at a time. This ERIC digest presents a sequence for approaching the major…

This digest presents a case for the development of a precise definition of environmental literacy (EL) as a prerequisite to setting standards for environmental education. The discussion includes the following: (1) establishment of the relationship between EL, environmental education, and goals of the formal education system; (2) the development of…

This digest discusses issues related to the implementation of high quality early childhood education by public school districts. Contents focus on: (1) the development of a written statement of philosophy; (2) the analysis of screening and assessment practices; (3) organization of the learning environment; (4) teacher preparation; (5) parent…

In 1966, Congress approved the first adult education act, and the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system was established. Monies to support adult education research and delivery systems became available at the same time as a mechanism was put in place to collect and disseminate results of these activities. The Adult Education Act…

The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) report challenged schools, parents, and businesses to help all students develop competencies in the basic skills, thinking skills, and personal qualities required for work in the current and future workplace. In response to this challenge, vocational-technical programs were…

Constructivism suggests a way to restructure the learning environment to make the transfer of learning from school to work settings more effective. The theory rests on the notion that learners actively construct knowledge by integrating new information and experiences into what they have previously come to understand. Using a constructivist…

The digest is based on a full length report (with the same title) on postsecondary developmental programs. The full report provides a definitive review of the literature and institutional practice on the topic. Postsecondary developmental programs at institutions of higher education encompass a variety of courses and services that are conducted to…

Problem solving is often identified as a goal of science education. What is considered problem solving varies from teacher to teacher. The ultimate goal of problem-solving education has been identified as a means of helping students develop higher-order thinking skills. This ERIC digest focuses on problem solving in secondary school science as…

One of the main obstacles to effective faculty evaluation is the inability to reach consensus on the evaluation's intended purpose. On one hand, faculty evaluation has a formative purpose, supporting faculty development, growth, and self-improvement, while it also has a summative purpose in that it provides data to make personnel decisions on…

Many cooperative civic education projects among U.S. and Central/Eastern European educators have emerged since the end of Communist Party Rule in the former Czechoslovakia. This digest describes a collaborative curriculum development project, Civic Education for the Czech Republic (CECR). The objective of CECR is to revise the existing social…

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) promotes excellence and equity in education by conducting research and demonstration projects, collecting statistics, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to those working to improve education. OERI supports two major research and…

Today there is a pressing call for technology o provide expanded higher education opportunities to a wide spectrum of present and potential clientele. This digest summarizes a larger report of the same title which examines the implications of teaching on the "virtual" college campus. It briefly examines the following questions: (1) what…

Studying local and national population distribution, as well as economic and social patterns, is becoming crucial for educators who serve rapidly changing communities. School officials should take into consideration the tremendous diversity in cultures, economic and family situations, and educational levels existing within an ethnic group. Several…

During the 1990s, there has been an unprecedented global dissemination of information about the theory and practice of democracy and civic education for democracy. This digest identifies nine trends having broad potential for influencing civic education in the constitutional democracies of the world: (1) conceptualization of civic education in…