When studying different types of returns to education, educational reforms are commonly used in the economics literature as a source of exogenous variation in education. The Swedish compulsory school reform is one example; the reform extended compulsory education throughout the country, in different municipalities at different points in time. Such…

The Polish school education system makes a distinction between two types of assessment: (1) Intra-school or internal assessment; and (2) External assessment. The idea of introducing external examinations into the Polish school education system emerged in 1992. This was directly inspired by study visits to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands…

As part of the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), states are required to comply with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) beginning July 19, 2006. NIMAS is defined as "the standard established by the Secretary to be used in the preparation of electronic files suitable…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide "Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades" addresses the challenge of providing effective literacy instruction for English learners in the elementary grades. The Guide offers five specific recommendations for district administrators…

Having developed a technology-based teaching unit on weather that appeared to work well for middle school students, Nancy Butler Songer and her colleagues at the University of Michigan decided in the late 1990s to take the next logical step in their research program: They scaled up. This article discusses lessons learned by several faculty…

Understanding the relevance of basic science knowledge in the determination of patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment is critical to good medical practice. One method often used to direct students in the fundamental process of integrating basic science and clinical information is problem-based learning (PBL). The faculty facilitated small…

By 1999, Maryland residents will have electronic access to a statewide system of information and resources to enable them to work, study, and enrich their lives. This system has its base in the library community, with connections to state and national resources. The Seymour Plan explains how this access will come about. The first stage will…

Presented in case study format, this report looks at different types of workplace literacy programs across Canada. It describes in some detail 10 particular work environments and the unique characteristics that have enabled each to offer quality worker education programs. Each case study provides information in these categories: profile (an…

Michigan's state plan for developmental disabilities (DD) for October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1997 is presented. This plan includes descriptions of programs and services, eligibility criteria, information on the extent of services, and a statement on the effectiveness of the programs/services. Information on services is provided for the following…

Lessons learned in the development and implementation of an English language training (ELT) project for Indonesian Civil Service workers are discussed. The project, designed to focus on development of English communication skills, was undertaken in cooperation with the state administration agency. Issues and difficulties discussed include:…

Describing outcomes for the collaborative learning (CL) program at California's Glendale Community College (GCC), this report describes the CL program, student results by program, and issues related to implementation. Part I describes the establishment of CL at the college and indicates that it provides students enrolled in traditionally difficult…

This paper documents the "inspection visit" program which existed at the University of Illinois library school between 1895 and 1948 whereby library school students would take extended "field trips" to nearby or even distant libraries. Topics include issues concerned with the visits themselves, their role in the library school…

In response to a growing shift from management by activity to results-based management systems, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) undertook a study to identify issues, expected outcomes, and recommended approaches related to the implementation of a results-based system for the Canadian College Partnership Program (CCPP). Data…

Designed to assist educators in formulating Total Quality Improvement (TQI) plans, this book examines the processes of TQI, which allow for the review of college administration, student services, teaching, and institutional culture, and provides information on its implementation at two-year colleges. Chapter 1 describes background to educational…

This manual, produced and used in a project of the Central Oklahoma Area Vocational Technical School, provides direction for developing and implementing a school-to-work curriculum for secondary students. Based on the Central Oklahoma Vocational-Technical Model, the guide contains the following 11 sections: (1) blueprint for getting students ready…