As educational accountability pressures and science teacher attrition rates within American public-school systems continue to rise, so does the need for improved reform-based professional development (PD) opportunities that allow science educators to challenge their pedagogical beliefs and teaching practices. This qualitative case study explores…

The higher education sector is under increasing pressure to deliver more and to evidence the fruits of its contribution to society. There is a particular focus on the enhanced engagement of students in order to maximise success, and for this engagement to be achieved equitably across the student body, regardless of demographic backgrounds. This…

Striving to remain a global leader in innovation, the United States continues prioritizing broadening participation in engineering and other STEM fields. For this reason, STEM outreach programs are increasingly popular and vital. However, few programs offer such outreach experiences at a large, national scale and intentionally situate those…

A framework was created at the University of the West Indies to guide the development of 18 e-learning programmes. The framework is based on three principles for sustainable e-learning design: (1) stakeholder-centredness; (2) cost-effectiveness and (3) high operational efficiency. These principles give rise to nine framework elements: (1) a labour…

The International Leadership Association's "Guiding Questions: Guidelines for Leadership Education Programs" (Ritch & Mengel, 2009) provides a framework to attend to leadership program development, redesign, evaluation, organized program review, questions concerning academic legitimacy and developing common program benchmarks. This article…

Presents controversies concerning competency based education (CBE). Lists and explains common characteristics of the CBE model: (1) prior knowledge by the student of educational objectives; (2) student responsibility for learning; and (3) criterion-based evaluation. Stresses needs for simplification, communication and adequate time for testing CBE…

This practical reference manual is intended for use in the evaluation of learner performance. The guidelines are presented in such a manner so as to make the evaluation process accessible and understandable to everybody involved in educational instruction and administration. A glossary of terminology is included to facilitate this process. The…

The bulk of the article is devoted to a description of three management forms that constitute the IEP model [--the Strength-A-Lyzer, Compactor, and Management Plan for Individual and Small Group Investigations of Real Problems--] represent a step-by-step procedure for translating theoretical principles derived from the research literature into…

This paper notes problems with assessment of giftedness; outlines goals of educational programs for the gifted; discusses three program content options (intensified core curriculum, qualitatively different curriculum, and specific intellectual training); and lists three program organization options (triad, autonomous learner, and integrated…

This document is designed to assist school personnel in the planning, development, and implementation of vocational assessment approaches for special needs students. The intended audience includes administrators, coordinators, counsellors, or teachers who are interested in designing vocational assessment procedures which maximize the use of…

A comprehensive plan for accountability in elementary and secondary schools is described. The primary purpose of the accountability system is to promote student development. During the first phase of accountability, an assessment is made of student performance. Results can be expressed in terms of both the percentage of students scoring below…

Components of an art program that was developed with federal funding are outlined. The model contains information on the grant proposal, including the rationale for funding, implementation strategies, activity timetable, qualifications of key personnel, activity objectives and performance measures, intitutional goals, activity milestones, and…

Proposes a model for writing program administrators to use to assess the effectiveness of composition programs. Argues the need to consider local conditions, evaluate the internal coherence of programs, and consider the external relevance of programs. Describes how using this model led the Writing Center at Northern Arizona University to make…

Drawing from survey data (n=138 medical schools in the United States and Canada), a study analyzed medical schools' systems for evaluating student progress in clinical experiences. The 4-stage model used by most schools, common and unique characteristics, and 17 symptoms of system errors, signaling a need for system review, are outlined.…

This final report describes a 3-year federally funded project designed to conduct an analysis of the factors that contribute to the performance of high intensity problem behaviors by students with severe disabilities. The project utilized a series of five integrated studies, which involved students with severe intellectual disabilities and the…