From 2015, Australian universities will be required to demonstrate that their programmes explicitly teach and assess achievement of, knowledge and skills, and the application of both as specified by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Over the last twenty years, the sector has applied significant effort and resources to embedding the…

There is a new buzzword in education: "MOOCs." These massively open online courses (MOOCs) can serve hundreds or thousands of students without the institutional hurdles found in classes at a university, such as acceptance requirements and physical location. Some schools are working with partners like Udacity and Coursera, while others…

Introductory biology courses are supposed to serve as gateways for many majors, but too often they serve instead as gatekeepers. Reliance on lectures, large classes, and multiple-choice tests results in high drop and failure rates. Critiques of undergraduate science education are clear about the problems with conventional introductory science…

Universities of technology (UoTs) achieve developmental impact through differentiated curricula, allowing graduates to undertake mid-level occupations in the workplace. This mandate differs from that at traditional universities in six respects: diploma-level entrants, labour market focus, workplace-oriented learning, applied research and…

For the 21st century learner, the foundational principles of information development have grown exponentially. In many fields, the life of knowledge can be measured in months or years, with learning occurring in vastly different ways than in previous decades. Education as a continual process, can last a lifetime, and can be greatly facilitated by…

The United States has been engaged in school reform for three decades. The federal government as well as all fifty states have passed numerous versions of reform legislation to mandate and regulate the process. Educators have adjusted their practices to the policy created by this legislation. They have also allocated hundreds of billions of…

This paper results from the Oregon Action Plan for Excellence, which defines goals and outcomes of the K-12 school experience. This Physical Education Concept Paper, the first of a series, is presented as a challenge to Oregon physical educators to confront constructively and resolve issues with implications for school physical education programs.…

An Association of American Colleges report recommends changes to strengthen undergraduate instruction, urging academic departments to (1) consider how courses in a major relate to each other and to outside courses and (2) structure majors so students can build on their knowledge, tying it together in a final senior experience. (MSE)

After finding that French language learning was declining in Rio de Janeiro schools because of inadequate resources, oversized classes, and irrelevant curricula, several teachers turned to a magazine for adolescents for motivating students to read. Extracts from an article and a series of exercises developing varied competencies illustrate the…

Describes the use of the Northwest Evaluation Association's Achievement Level Test for Reading as an assessment tool in an elementary school to measure student progress in reading. Discusses interpreting scores across grade levels; computerized versions; linking test items to new curriculum; reducing reading class size; and the role of technology.…

The impact of declining enrollment on the public schools and its implications for educational planning are examined. Three critical areas in instructional improvement are considered. As enrollments decline, more space becomes available in school facilities. Uses for this space are suggested: development of resource centers, expansion of enrichment…

This speech discusses problems that principals face in trying to implement effective school strategies, describes ongoing research in instructional management, and identifies school improvement strategies used by particularly effective principals. The first section addresses practical problems in finding the appropriate balance between high…

A teacher describes how the staff at his junior high school, and particularly his ninth-grade team, worked on continuous improvement in three ways: restructuring the working roles and relationships among staff; restructuring the working roles and relationships between staff and students; and merging systemic advancements and education philosophy…

Reducing class size was considered an important element in a revised health course at Gettysburg College (Pennsylvania). However, reducing class size to approximately 15 students per class would require 38 sections, more than the health faculty could handle. To recruit additional instructors, the course was marketed to faculty and administrators…

This booklet shares what South Carolina teachers said during Teacher Talk, a series of regional dialogue sessions between teachers and the State Superintendent of Education in 1997. Teachers from all levels and disciplines participated in the meetings. Teachers identified learning activities that were highly effective for students, worked in small…