For the past four decades, intercultural bilingual education (IBE) has been a common policy prescription to address Indigenous/non-Indigenous education gaps in Latin America. Initiatives have grown from small, localised pilots to national and state-level initiatives across thousands of schools. While there is some rigorous evidence of the…

Since 2010, a substantial number of large-scale, quantitative studies on preparation features associated with teaching effectiveness and retention have emerged. The purpose of this paper is to review this body of evidence and make sense of what it suggests for practitioners and policymakers. The paper begins by describing the groundbreaking work…

In recent years, substantial investments have been made in reengineering systems of teacher evaluation. The new generation models of teacher evaluation typically adopt a standards-based view of teaching quality and include a value-added measure of growth in student learning. With more than a decade of experience and research, it is timely to…

Reviews of professional literature identify characteristics of effective staff development programs and inservice activities. Purposes for staff development include: pedagogical growth and understanding and discovery of self as well as cognitive, theoretical, professional, and career development. (DF)

Research on staff development in rural and non-rural settings provides guidelines for effective practice. Research on rural staff development, however, must be increased and become more systematic and focused. (JD)

The effectiveness of instructional development evaluation programs is assessed. It is suggested that although it is a basic tenet in instructional development that teaching improvement is closely linked to effective evaluation, it is ironical that most instructional development programs have themselves been evaluated only superficially, if at all.…

A review of the literature regarding the tradition of the student teaching practicum and significant criticisms of student teacher supervisors and supervisory programs are presented. Particular attention is paid to the state of the art in physical education teacher preparation. Core problems in practicum design and operation are addressed, and…

A review of studies on early field experiences centers on John Dewey's belief that pre-practice teaching laboratory experiences should foster reflective criticism of educational purposes and instructional methods and result in more effective student teaching experiences. Current studies have indicated that early field experiences, by focusing on…

This book presents a series of case studies in higher education which demonstrate how teams of academics have improved their practice, skill and conditions of learning and teaching through "action research." Action research is defined as collaborative critical enquiry by academics themselves into their own teaching practice, into problems of…

In the spirit of educational reform efforts, public schools have national goals for the first time and are under pressure to adopt a national curriculum, national testing, and parental choice of schools. School reform depends on upgrading teacher education. Only a more carefully recruited, better prepared, and more professionally rewarded teaching…

This book contains seven papers presented at a conference on the future of teacher education. Richard M. Hersh examines the social organization of the school and the school's instruction and curriculum in "What Makes Some Schools and Teachers More Effective." In "Teacher Education: Needed Research and Practice for the Preparation of Teaching…

Methods of attracting, preparing, and retaining a solid cadre of dedicated, effective teachers in Wisconsin's schools are considered. Ideas and programs are offered for local school boards, the state legislature, teachers and administrators, and the general public. Specific recommendations are made on: (1) attracting competent individuals to…

Successful experimental programs, in which teachers have been trained to increase their students' academic achievement, were analyzed to identify common teacher functions. Six recent studies in which teachers implemented training and in which students had higher achievement were examined. Conclusions drawn from the analysis include: (1) Students…

This report presents an overview of the literature on school/teacher effectiveness and improvement, with a focus on implications for developing countries. Sections 1-2 discuss the trend toward site-based management, which has increased pressures on individual schools and their staff; eight key domains of school effectiveness; and the need to…

The impact of the School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) program in Maryland schools was evaluated. The program encourages application of research on planned change to implement one or more of four instructional models: (1) Active Teaching--emphasis on direct instruction, review and discussion of homework, individually supervised…