As the number of on-line classes and the demand for on-line education continues to sky-rocket, it is critical that course developers and university faculty have the skills to effectively design curricula, to develop engaging learning opportunities, and to create responsive courses that meet individual student needs. This paper details three…

Using Tomlinson's (2004) framework, the post-secondary classroom can be transformed into a community of learners where different avenues are provided for effectively acquiring content, processing ideas, and developing products. This article explores how instructors can differentiate instruction in teacher-education methods courses by…

A rural middle level school had stalled in its third year of a district-wide differentiation initiative. This article describes the way teachers and the leadership team engaged in collaborative practices to put a spotlight on formative assessment. Teachers learned to systematically gather formative assessment data from their students and to use…

Instructional Transaction Theory specifies a set of rules for automated instructional design and development. Components include descriptive theories of knowledge and of strategy, and a prescriptive theory of instructional design. Rules include selecting and sequencing knowledge objects, selecting and sequencing instructional transactions,…

Students taking university-level courses through distance education have special needs, primarily because of their isolation from immediate contacts with instructors and special facilities. Developing instructional methods to meet these needs is important if the quality of distance education is to be high. Schools established solely to provide…

The Component Model of Functional Life Routines provides a systematic structure for the specification of behaviors relevant to student competence, thus providing guidelines for determining meaningful forms of participation in functional activities and meaningful assessment of progress in these activities for severely disabled students. (CB)

This paper describes Maine's high standards for all students and a model for personalizing instruction and assessment to fit student needs, thus providing fair opportunities for all children to achieve the standards. Maine's academic standards, the Learning Results, are structured in three levels: broad performance goals for all students (guiding…

This article discusses Rochester's two academic models that offer different tools for different purposes--measuring individual learning and measuring what affects learning. The main focus of currently available growth measures is formative assessment--providing data to inform instructional planning. Value-added assessment is not a student…

Districts in communities experiencing population shifts are being challenged to address three concerns simultaneously: be responsive to the strengths and educational needs of students from increasingly diverse backgrounds, provide meaningful professional development for an expanding or contracting workforce to meet those needs, and ensure that…

Focusing on the role of the educational developer, the 19 essays in this collection provide a forum for educational developer practitioners: (1) to share their practices and insights; (2) to explore what it means to be an educational developer and instructional designer, and to give some philosophical reflection of the role; and (3) to clarify the…

This article provides suggestions for improving community college English teachers' knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward teaching-learning situations. The author contends that, in order for a college English instructor to fully realize his or her optimal self and enhance the experience of the student, teachers should: (1) read professional…

When basic instructional design issues (goals, nature of the subject matter, and needs of the learner) are taken into consideration, different distance learning models may emerge as appropriate for different learning situations. A systematic approach to design and development of instruction allows for viewing the instructional process as a set of…

The World Wide Web offers significant opportunities for instruction--opening up education to the unserved or underserved, providing new tools to enhance learning and increasing convenience for learners in terms of effective use of place and time. Prior to planning for Web-based instruction, it is imperative that the underlying motivation is…

Describes the process of developing graduate courses in children's literature and library services to children. The needs of library school students electing children's services as a career option, children's literature courses available outside of library schools, and the growth of materials about children's literature are taken into…

Examines the theoretical base of New Brunswick's recent social studies curriculum reform. New Brunswick defines its curriculum in terms of understandings, competencies, and dispositions (emphasizing independent, creative, and critical learning). Expounds on social studies that is meaningful, integrative, value-based, challenging, and active. (MJP)