A description is given of the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Curriculum Management System (CMS), a computer managed system that utilizes input from research findings on effective schools. The goals and objectives of instruction are clearly delineated and effectively communicated to students and their parents. Each student,…

This plan is designed to review and revise the educational program of the Hicksville School District (New York) by means of a systematic approach to curriculum revision, instruction geared to learning, and the monitoring of student progress. Baseline information obtained from a curriculum inventory is a starting point for an analysis of the…

Rural schools in Utah responded to state and local calls for school reform by implementing Outcome Based Education (OBE) programs beginning in March 1984. Significant improvements in learning have occurred as measured by test scores. Workshops introduced rural educators to OBE which provided a philosophical and operational framework for school…

The curriculum matrix is a tool to help curriculum coordinators, principals, and superintendents specify, justify, and align curriculum and instructional time to district specified standards. The problem the curriculum matrix solves is connecting the curriculum; that is, tracing an idea from initial justification to its placement in the curriculum…

Carroll's (1963) model of school learning and Bloom's (1968) mastery learning both address theoretical and practical aspects of the time factor in school learning via an appeal to diagnostic-prescriptive teaching. The design of instructional environments and materials--particularly as advocated by Glaser (1976)--represents the mechanism to bring…

This document records the procedures followed by the South Carolina State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education in developing a two-year curriculum for civil engineering technology with a learner-oriented, open-entry/open-ended individualized format relying heavily on the use of audiovisual aids and hands-on experience with software and…

This document consists of assorted supplementary materials for a conference session on the topic of "Improving Education in America through Staff Development and Learning Technology." It contains (1) a preface; (2) a list of assumptions central to West Virginia's educational reform model; (3) a statement of the session's basic purpose,…

A change in philosophy for pharmacology instruction for paramedical students required a change to non-traditional methods of instruction. The course consists of five specific and one student-designed unit including objectives, study questions, projects, quizzes, and exams. Multimedia support is discussed, as well as the use of unit directions,…

Questions frequently arise about the origins of outcome-based education and mastery learning, their similarities and differences, their theoretical and practical links, and evidence about their effects on student learning. Historical and theoretical perspectives show a clear distinction between outcome-based education and mastery learning.…

Mastery learning can combine the strengths of direct instruction with the strengths of discovery learning. This paper describes how mastery learning is being used in Missouri schools to enhance the quality of instruction in science at all grade levels. In addition, the dramatic results in student science achievement that have occurred within the…

A comprehensive, integrated physical education system that has quality and relevance for handicapped students and their nonhandicapped peers is proposed. The Achievement Based Curriculum (ABC) Model is a systematic decision-making process for an instructional system that incorporates curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation in one…

With the assistance of East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, the Indianola Public Schools in Oklahoma developed a computerized curriculum management system (CMS) to aid in curricular planning and evaluation. Using CMS, teachers can implement findings associated with the effective schools research by delineating and communicating the goals and…

This paper examines problems involved in designing an integrated system to teach and assess critical thinking skills in the classroom, and describes the Monitor Achievement in Pittsburgh (MAP) Critical Thinking Project, an attempt to draw upon research from diverse disciplines in developing an effective pilot project in the Pittsburgh public…

An integrated overview of the processes involved in the establishment of a vocational program of study for the disadvantaged student is provided in this paper. Occupational analysis, the first step in the establishment of such a program, is discussed and divided into three steps: (1) major job tasks; (2) sub-tasks; and (3) specific job functions.…

Reading improvement programs that have focused on additional staff for teaching, tutoring, and counseling; prescriptive, self-paced learning methods; unstructured open-education strategies; and intensive reading have often been successful in small towns and middle sized cities, but none has made a major impact on the reading achievement of…