This report is based on several evaluations of NSF-funded geoscience projects at Stony Brook University on Long Island, NY. The report reviews the status of K-12 geoscience education, identifying challenges posed by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the experiences of university faculty engaged in teacher preparation, state…

Professional learning communities among teachers and schools have been envisioned as a mechanism for development, knowledge building and implementation. However the formation of an effective learning community is more complex than giving teachers a project and asking them to share a room. This paper reports a synergistic interaction between a…

Reviews participant handbooks from the Getty Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts' Discipline-Based Art Education teacher-training program. Observes that there was not any training in metacognitive strategies for self-monitoring growth in knowledge. Suggests that incorporating these strategies would teach teachers how to continue their…

The peer coaching program described in this paper was designed to promote a teacher self-directed system which established sharing with colleagues through team planning and classroom observation and feedback. While the ultimate goal of the program was to improve instruction and, thereby, to increase student learning, the program also facilitated…

Reports on content and teaching strategies in 10 drug abuse prevention curricula for public and private schools. Although similarities exist among the curricula, they employ a range of content and strategies. Many strategies are too complex, and the curricula do not provide sufficient background information and training for classroom…

Reviews the work of Lynn Dierking and John Falk on museum learning. Presents a contextual model for understanding museum experiences and learning. (DDR)

Describes the controversy in hearing-impaired education between advocates of unisensory and multisensory approaches to communication for learning and socialization. Concludes that the multisensory approach is superior after reviewing arguments from developmental and perceptual theories, information processing, early intervention pedagogy, and…

Findings of a study that evaluated both the implementation and the public's reception of the first 2 years (1990-92) of Connecting Learning Assures Successful Students (CLASS), a cooperative learning program in 62 Indiana schools, are presented in this policy bulletin. Data were collected from three participating elementary schools through the…

Discusses the Expert Panel on Educational Technology and its recommendations for evaluation practices. Topics include evaluating the program rather than the technology; organizational change, learning, and equity in innovations; kinds of student learning that can be supported; and evidence of effectiveness. (LRW)

Explores museum visitors' understanding of skeleton exhibits and whether such exhibits increase their understanding of the zoology displayed. The exhibition under study focused on the diversity of vertebrae skeletons which were arranged according to the mode of locomotion. (DDR)

The concept of "curriculum alignment" is based on the principle that, if instructional accomplishments are to be reliably obtained, three things must line up: instructional objectives, testing systems, and classroom instruction. The task of aligning a curriculum is described as requiring four attitudinal approaches: (1) Teachers and…

This report contains the results of a review process and specifically addresses the indicators of progress and achievement which include student impact, teacher impact, policy changes, resource changes, management change, data utilization, learning infrastructure change, student performance, and partnerships. The review was designed to gain a full…

Describes the implementation of computer-based teaching in the Norwegian school system. The government's role is described, evaluation procedures are explained, the role of the teachers and teacher training are discussed, and factors that influence a school's success in implementing the use of computers are explored. (LRW)

This series is intended for music educators and features speeches and articles by leaders in music and arts education on a wide variety of current issues. This publication deals with the move of the music education profession to a position based on aesthetic considerations. The study of music structure and history must be encouraged to enhance…

The National School Recognition Program was established in 1982 to identify and call attention to a group of public secondary schools that are unusually effective in educating their students with available resources. This document presents 146 effective practices adopted by schools in various areas, including: (1) clear educational goals; (2)…