This paper presents an analysis of how resources were designed to support implementation of the new Queensland senior secondary mathematics syllabuses. The analysis draws on the concept of educative curriculum materials that build teachers' subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Such resources are intended to help teachers…

In this paper we present the results of an evaluation study of a development project for the introduction and use of tablet computers (iPads) at the lower secondary level in Nordlinga school, a compulsory school in Reykjavík. In the study, we assess the impact of the use of tablet computers on instruction and students' learning in grades 9 to 10,…

While an aim of research is to inform practice, there exists a tension between scholars who undertake research and practitioners whom it might benefit. Scholars work diligently inside a system that values print for dissemination, but practitioners opine that the practicalities are embedded within ponderous articles rife with academic language and…

School psychologists face the challenge of completing standardized, multiple choice tests for professional development in order to meet the competency standards set by organizations and regulatory agencies. Research has indicted that adequate preparation in test-taking skills can significantly improve attitudes toward test taking and actual…

This paper discusses the question, what kinds of learning and new knowledge about content and children's thinking can an innovative curriculum program motivate? Discussion is restricted to whole number operations and how changing knowledge, beliefs, and practice as both an individual and collective problem might be conceived. To the extent that…

Characteristics of learning styles and other attributes of academic librarians in public and technical services were examined based on Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI), a system that conceptualizes the learning process as a four-stage cycle and identifies four different learning styles--accommodator (gets things done, takes risk, leads);…

This paper focuses on some of the most important factors that appear to have strongly influenced the development of the dominant research designs used in mathematics education research. Factors discussed that have influenced research design in mathematics education include a concern about increasing the relevance of research to practice and the…

Educational administration is currently debating the future of the profession and the most appropriate modes for the preparation of school leaders, including the role of higher education in developing preparation models. This paper reviews selected master's and doctoral programs in educational administration and argues that preparation programs…

A proposal that calls for increasing the relevance of administrator preparation by applying a problem-based learning approach is offered in this paper. A review of literature on problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education concludes that, compared with traditional programs, PBL yields superior or equivalent results on a variety of outcome…

Generally speaking, reading is not taught beyond the third grade in most school systems. If a student has not mastered reading comprehension skills by the fourth grade, chances are that she/he will struggle with learning in grades four through twelve. Many middle school and high school students lack the ability to use communication skills…

Relative effects on adult learners who received experimenter-provided elaborations or who generated personal elaborations, using strategies taught by means of detached versus embedded training, were examined in 80 employees in a professional-development course at a large corporation. Subjects were assigned to a control group, a group receiving…

In this paper, I draw together a corpus of findings derived from two sources: studies of students using computers to learn mathematics, and research into the use of mathematics in professional practice. Using this as a basis, I map some elements of a theoretical framework for understanding the nature of mathematical knowledge in use, and how it is…

This packet contains three papers from a symposium on developing employee competence. The first paper, "Coaching in Organizations: Self-Assessment of Competence" (Gary N. McLean, Min-Hsun [Christine] Kuo), reports on development and pilot-testing of an instrument to identify the developmental needs of managers and peers to function more…

This paper describes a collaborative research project conducted by two first grade teachers. The project focuses on the use of hands-on science activities and the relationship between a teacher and a mentor teacher. An integrated curriculum with science as the central theme is employed and further developed through the joint efforts of the two…

This packet contains four papers on organizational structure and strategy from a symposium on human resource development (HRD). The first paper, "Exploring Alignment: A Comparative Case Study of Alignment in Two Organizations" (Steven W. Semler), reports on a case study that compared the results of an alignment measurement instrument…