Not surprisingly, in an increasingly neo-liberal context of international competition for educational prestige, conversations about teaching and teacher preparation have taken hold across the globe. Further complicating these matters is that ideas about teaching, learning, and learning to teach cannot be understood or analyzed in a vacuum; that…

The issue of teacher effectiveness has risen rapidly to the top of the education policy agenda, and the federal government and states are considering bold steps to improve teacher and leader effectiveness. One place to look for ideas is the experiences of high-performing education systems around the world. Finland, Ontario, and Singapore all have…

This paper suggests the need for a critical analysis of the nationalization of mourning and its educational implications, especially in conflict-ridden areas. Our thoughts are grounded in a comparative study on mourning that has been conducted as part of our long-standing ethnographic research in schools in Cyprus and Israel during the last 10…

In large numbers of elementary and secondary schools across the United States teachers are being called upon to provide support to colleagues through a process called "instructional coaching." Despite widespread implementation of this role, resulting in part from federal initiatives, there is little consensus regarding its operational…

Describes an activity that can help refine and develop the skill of scanning, that is, reading a text to locate a particular piece of information. The activity involves analyzing two texts: the first is the original, and the second is a shortened, slightly inaccurate "battered" version of the first. (GLR)

At least 60% of children with disabilities have multiple disabilities including visual impairments (VI). Because the visual system is neurologically based, any problems of the neurological system will also likely affect vision. The estimated number of students with VI and additional disabilities has increased significantly over the years. Since…

This article outlines rehabilitation personnel education and training in seven countries representing a geo-culturally contiguous region of sub-Saharan Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It identifies and explicates practices to inform similar or parallel rehabilitation practices in the United States…

The author's work as a professor for special and inclusive education in the eastern part of Germany kindled a special interest for Canada for two reasons. First, the result of the international comparative study of students assessment showed Canada as one of the top countries and Germany as one of the countries far behind. Second, the author's…

Considers the relation among "general pedagogics,""social pedagogics," and the science of social work as a consequence of functional differentiation reflected on the theoretical level. If the educational system and "social care" are differentiated, it is possible to deal with the relation between social and general…

Use of active learning techniques of role-playing and simulation in an industrial psychology course (n=29 students) is described and assessed. Subjective reports and objective assessments of knowledge retention indicate the approach was effective. The differential importance of active learning and passive learning (lecture) in the college…

The science curricula in grades K-6 in 4 school districts from 4 states are analyzed and compared. Two districts employ a content approach using textbooks as the dominant medium, whereas the other two employ a hands-on approach using manipulative activities and thematic units. Implications for students with disabilities are considered. (Author/PB)

This paper describes an academic assistance program designed to help ethnic minority students adjust to the demands of university life and succeed both academically and personally. The Excel program has three major components: a two-semester, two-credit core seminar; weekly instructional support groups; and peer led tutorial/discussion groups. The…

A project compared the use of cognitive style mapping (CSM) in individualized instruction and counseling with current institutional practices in secretarial science and developmental studies. (CSM is defined as a means of assessing each student's preferences in receiving and processing information--for purposes of personalizing and individualizing…

Experience in teaching handicapped students at Cheliabinsk State University shows that the effectiveness of the work depends on how fully the systemic approach is realized in it. In this article, the author traces the history of the development of the system from its formation. The author discusses the different systems for teaching, from using a…