System models are commonly used in tertiary education as a mechanism for describing the interacting components of educational phenomena, but have hitherto been uncritically accepted. This paper provides a critical review of existing systems models, including the 3P model defined Biggs, and outlines their conceptual challenges. A revised model…

More than four thousand students engage in the community-based learning capstone program every year by enrolling in one of 240 senior-level courses that culminate their undergraduate education. In this article, the author shares the context and history of the program, its foundational principles and processes, and the nuts-and-bolts details of the…

Any organization with a comprehensive training program has a leadership development curriculum. These programs include everything from conventional classroom learning with guest speakers to high-tech simulations and lavish retreats. There also may be mentorship thrown in, as well as multiple job rotations. Despite the well-rounded curricula, many…

Never before in the history of the teaching profession has there been such a need for comprehensive evaluation of all teacher preparation programs, most especially professional development schools (PDSs). This need is driven not only by the pressures of the age of accountability, but also by the need for the PDS movement to act ethically and…

Article provides short descriptions of the impact evaluation of the Schools Council and the Regional Educational Laboratories. The article contends that the way impact evaluation is done depends on key factors, such as the scope of the task, size of the institution, and the methods of government and management. (RB)

Implementation of a new research design may change research on television effectiveness in such a way that a solid basis for program improvement is established and that the understanding of instructional processes may increase. (Author)

Research on the School Health Curriculum Project is analyzed, including research on instrumentation development as well as on research assessing project impact on health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of those students exposed to the project. (JMF)

In most states those aspiring to be school superintendents must satisfy a series of post-master's requirements to receive the necessary certification. At the University of South Carolina, these academic requirements can be met through the completion of a 33 credit hour program culminating in an educational specialist's degree. A survey of recent…

The Comparing Options in Secondary Mathematics: Investigating Curriculum (COSMIC) project is a longitudinal study of student learning from two types of mathematics curricula: integrated and subject-specific. Previous large-scale research studies such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that numerous variables are…

This paper offers suggestions about facilities to support curriculum development, based on the principles that the motive power for such a development should come primarily from local groups of teachers accessible to one another, and that there should be effective and close collaboration between teachers and all those who are able to offer…

This paper is concerned with the clarification and resolution of two basic defects of curricular and instructional research: vagueness as to what is being undertaken, and inattention to the logical aspects of evaluation. It introduces the concepts of curricular claim and instructional claim, clarifies the function and import of curricular claims,…

Due to the rising need for institutions of higher education to continually assess programs and display accountability, a literature review was performed to tie together, in one document, the historical developments that have brought student affairs training under the umbrella of counselor education. The current state of the student affairs…

A ten-question survey instrument was used to measure teacher acceptance of vocational agriculture core curriculum materials in Nebraska. On a scale of one (poor) to ten (excellent), all 103 teachers who responded rated the core curriculum concept as 5 or higher, with 68 teachers scoring the core concept as 8 or higher. (LRA)

Educational evaluation is ideally much broader than the examination of students' work at stipulated intervals. It addresses the selection of objectives, the methodology, the capability of management, the adequacy of data sources, the resources required, and even the alternative educational purposes that could be served. This study evaluates the…

The ratio of journalism students choosing advertising to those choosing a news-editorial emphasis has risen dramatically in the 1980s. To determine whether students are rejecting the news-editorial curriculum based on their beliefs that occupations in this field offer low salaries, poor working conditions, and less creative opportunity than…