This edited book explores different international practices in reforming science teacher education programs for STEM education. Incorporating case studies in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, North America and South America, the contributors emphasise the large variety in STEM teacher preparation. Including science-centric versions of STEM…

In 2011, the Arizona State Legislature adopted a law creating the first education savings account (ESA) in the United States. Following Arizona's lead, several other states, including Florida Tennessee,Mississippi and Nevada, have implemented ESA policies. Typical eligibility requirements include conditions such as a pupil's diagnosed disability,…

Several educational computer games are described. The impact of these games on education is discussed as well as the future of educational computer games. (CJ)

This report offers a framework and conceptual base for a statewide discussion of public school choice. A review of choice activities in other states and an analysis of typical components in a choice program are provided. Organized into four main chapters, the report starts with an explanation of the concept of choice followed by a review of the…

The status of the integration of students with mental retardation into regular schools in four European countries (Italy, West Germany, Switzerland, and England) is described, and possible variables influencing the change of systems are identified. (MSE)

This paper examines alternative teacher certification, its history, research and implications, recommendations and rationale, and specific recommendations for Delaware public education policy. Chapter 1 reviews the history of alternative certification beginning in the early 1980s when regional shortages of math and science teachers drove the…

Selected research studies which have potential utility for and impact upon the conduct of staff development programs in school settings are reviewed in this paper. The context, assessment, content, and process of staff development programs are defined, and 27 validated studies are introduced and discussed. Trends in findings are noted, and gaps in…

Rural education trends in the 1980s--influenced by decreased federal, state, and local funding and demands for higher academic standards and greater accountability--will have a significant impact on staff development in small and rural schools. Along with ebbing support for compensatory education and increased focus on math and science…

Discussion of multilingual education looks at three European models, each designed for a different population, and compares them with the Canadian immersion model. The models are: (1) trilingual education applied to the entire school population of Luxembourg; (2) multilingual education in the nine-institution, five-city European School network,…

The book examines the current status of education for the gifted in the United States and looks at characteristics of good programs. Considered in the first chapter are increasing interest in programs for the gifted and talented, expansion of the definition of "gifted," increased government commitment, and the evolution of programs in Cleveland…

This paper on school-college partnerships summarizes the recent history of these efforts, the "lessons learned" about collaboration, gaps where further study is needed, and an annotated bibliography of significant resources. The history of school-college partnerships began in the 19th century and has continued throughout the 20th century with the…

The second language education program of Glastonbury, Connecticut, considered to be an exemplary program in a modest community, is profiled and discussed. Since the 1950s in this system, all students study at least one foreign language, beginning in elementary school. Course offerings, which have changed little since that time, include Spanish,…

In the school-college partnership movement state policy can play an important role in sustaining partnerships as part of an active general strategy for educational change. Individual institutions and communities cannot solve the social problems facing the nation without working in cooperation with a broad network of other agencies and communities.…

The implications of Canada's national study of core French instruction for second language (L2) teacher education in that country are examined. Literature on the study's impact on language teaching philosophy and policy and on French immersion instruction is reviewed, and a survey of 36 Canadian schools of education is reported. The questionnaire…

Mindful of the need for quality professional development and its characteristics, large numbers of educators are self-selecting to participate in workplace/community learning (WCL) experiences. Viewed as an alternative to less desirable forms of traditional professional development, WCL displays characteristics of high-quality professional…