In this work, a specific implementation of a so-called experimental or open-ended laboratory is proposed and evaluated. Keeping in mind the scheduling limitations imposed by the context, first-year engineering physics laboratory practices have been revised in order to facilitate acquisition of the skills that are required in the experimental work.…

Two-thirds of high school students get less than eight to 10 hours of sleep per night according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sleep deprivation in teens has been linked to poor academic performance, reduced immunity, obesity, ADD-like symptoms, and even drug and alcohol use. For years, experts have said that early school…

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, sponsored by the IRS, offers free tax services for individuals with low-to-moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and/or those who lack English language proficiency. Although established by the IRS in 1969, it is administered by partnering community based volunteer organizations throughout U.S.,…

The teaching profession has long been structured around full-time classroom responsibilities that are defined by the location, timing, and schedule of the school day and a ubiquitous one-teacher-per-classroom model. In most districts, the only option for highly successful teachers to advance in the profession or serve more students is to leave the…

This publication focuses on national and international policy initiatives to develop a better understanding of part-time learners and the types of flexibility that may enhance their study especially pedagogically. As part of our five-strand research project "Flexible Pedagogies: preparing for the future" it: (1) highlights the challenges…

The national shortage and exceptionally high attrition rate of special education teachers are impediments to serving students with special needs. Given that only 64 percent of special education teachers have access to a mentor compared with 86 percent of general education teachers, this book meets an essential need for attracting, retaining, and…

Discussion of the introduction of block scheduling in high schools highlights two case studies that illustrate how a schedule change impacts the library media program. Shows how the library media specialists modified teaching and scheduling practices to take advantage of the extended instructional time. (Author/LRW)

Offers a brief overview of the process undertaken by one school district in Missouri to explore and then implement a schedule change (in particular a block program)--a process involving parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, and students. (SR)

Describes personal experiences at the BioQUEST workshop titled "Approaches to Biology Education: Overcoming Social, Spatial, and Scheduling Constraints in Biology Education Reform." Describes activities and projects done at the workshop and discusses innovative curricula, flow charts, visualization, and case studies. Contains 12 references. (JRH)

It is not unusual to hear students at the Cesar Chavez Learning Center say that if they were not able to go to this kind of school, they would have given up on formal education a long time ago. Housed in a strip mall a mile and a half from the U.S.-Mexican border, the Chavez center allows students to attend school for a half day--morning or…

The development of a university-wide office automation plan, beginning with a short-range pilot project and a five-year plan for the entire organization with the potential for modular implementation, is described. (MSE)

This report describes how one of our nation's largest urban school systems works through the complexities of diverse testing programs, testing schedules, and students to produce timely results that help students, parents, teachers, administrators, and policy makers to produce sound decisions about learning. (Author)

A computerized system used in an Australian university school of education to allocate faculty teaching loads equitably and flexibly is described. It features reconciliation of workloads based on (1) course design and enrollment and (2) formulas relating to administration, research, and development responsibilities negotiated within the faculty.…

The period of time for which a college is reaccredited, a hotly debated issue at the annual meeting of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, is discussed. Ten-year terms have been shortened, putting a burden on institutions least able to afford the lengthy and costly process. (MLW)

Suggests a model for a working cyberschool based on a case study of Kamiak Cyberschool (Washington), a technology-driven public high school. Topics include flexible hours; one-to-one interaction with teachers; a supportive school environment; use of computers, interactive media, and online resources; and self-paced, project-based learning.…