"Catalyst schools" were 28 elementary and secondary schools selected to participate in a pilot project begun in July 2014, which explored how best to support teacher professional learning through decentralization of decision making and implementation of the Learning School approach. The pilot project was the first phase in a statewide…

In this article we report on the results of a pilot study on the use of task-based multilingual and multicultural professional scenarios for higher education teachers and learners at BA and MA level. The scenarios reflect new learning outcomes and assessment criteria for the presently under-conceptualised domain of communication in multilingual…

The purpose of the present study is to investigate how children aged 4-6 perceive and are motivated by foreign language learning in kindergarten. The central part of the paper focuses on the tendencies and guidelines for the teaching and learning of foreign languages at the pre-school level and on children's motivation for foreign language…

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested in the development and dissemination of instructional tools to support teachers' incorporation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) into their classroom instruction. Math experts have developed formative assessment lessons (FALs) that teachers can incorporate throughout the year's curriculum.…

This article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus-group research investigations into students' learning experiences. One previously published focus-group study is used as an illustrative example, along with other examples from the field of pedagogic research in geography higher education. An approach…

The California State Department of Education commissioned the Far West Laboratory to conduct a study to enhance the effectiveness of methods of disseminating educational information in the state. The study began with a pilot written survey of administrators and support staff in a few schools. In-depth telephone interviews with department staff and…