Although vocabulary acquisition research has shed much light on practical methods for increasing lexical knowledge (Nation, 1994), many foreign language teachers hesitate to implement focused vocabulary-training programs in their classrooms. The reasons most often cited for this hesitation are associated with the difficult tasks of creating,…

Lesson Study has captured the attention of many international educators with its promise of improved student learning and sustained teacher growth. Lesson Study, however, has cultural underpinnings that a simple transference model overlooks. A culturally embedded approach attends to the existing cultural orientations and values of host schools.…

This contribution shows the conditions of a change of prospect in higher education which is based on institutional and policy positioning in favor of the implementation of the devices of Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) which is used to deliver a whole or components of a qualification (certification) on the basis of the knowledge and skills…

Ways in which program innovators, policy developers, and educational researchers think about and engage in disseminating innovations to schools can prove a major barrier to reform. A process for effective dissemination using the coaching model in the accelerated schools program is described here. Accelerated schools draw on three principles: unity…

This report discusses many issues with which those who are implementing peer counseling programs will have to contend. Although it is recommended that peer counseling program implementors be aware of and know how they will deal with each of the issues prior to program implementation, the issues are presented according to their identifiable time…

A review of five of their own research findings suggests (to the authors) four strategies for preparing facilitators to help implement school improvement programs. "Facilitators" are people who support teachers in implementing new classroom practices, and can include principals, district staff, or external providers of support. The five…

This paper describes the Virtual Training Program (VTP) at Fort Knox (Kentucky) which aims to provide the United States Army National Guard units with intensive, time-compressed training opportunities. The program consists of: (1) computer-generated exercises that compel units to perform actions associated with training objectives; (2) realistic…

At the Homestead Campus of Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC), in Florida, one barrier to fully integrating technology in the classroom was identified as the low-level of student computer skills. To address the problem, the campus undertook a project to establish a technology basic skills workshop for all students. In informal interviews to…

The results of a study of five midwestern school districts suggest that the abandonment of program innovations or revisions may be related to a lack of understanding of how schools work as social systems and how political processes influence change efforts, as well as a failure to appreciate the many dilemmas facing those who attempt to facilitate…

Prevention, in the form of consultation with campus agencies, is perceived as an alternative to crisis intervention. The goals of such consultation are to create a healthier, more supportive, growth-producing environment in which individuals can receive help before their life problems become serious enough to warrant professional therapy. This…

This study was conducted to identify the perceived needs regarding implementation of inhouse training at Northern Arizona Long Distance Corporation (NALD). Specifically, the study was conducted to evaluate whether current and proposed training programs were consistent with company training goals from employer and employee perspectives, to make…

A recent model for the design of staff development programs for educators includes 5 stages--readiness, planning, training, implementation, and maintenance--each of which is defined by a set of 4 to 11 practices. To test this model and the relative merits of its 38 practices and its underlying assumptions, a national questionnaire survey of over…

The paper offers a framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate, effective communication instructional programs for persons who are severely developmentally delayed. The use of an ecological approach that incorporates the instruction of communication skills with that of activities of daily living (ADL) is emphasized.…

Chapter 622 refers to a Commonwealth of Massachusetts law enacted in 1971 which guarantees access to all public schools and public school programs without regard to race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. Despite the literal compliance with Chapter 622 by the Amherst Regional Schools, Third World and/or female students continued to make…

Based on the principles of quality and productivity improvement, Central Virginia Community College's (CVCC's) Quality First initiative is designed to provide continuous quality training to existing business, government, and educational institutions and enhance regional development activities to attract new business and jobs. Since its inception…