Discussion of adoption models for learning technologies focuses on how the use of models tends to channel and constrain thinking. Topics include the importance of practice over theory; needs assessment; committees or consultants; developing a framework; data collection, analysis, and interpretation; implementation; and evaluation and revision.…

Major national, state, and local systems reform efforts are under way to close the gap between science and service through implementation of a range of evidence-based practices (EBPs). A set of rhetorical distinctions and ensuing debates about the relevance of science versus service and efficacy versus effectiveness threatens to widen rather than…

The Open Studio Project (OSP) is a nonprofit arts and social service organization. This report presents the OSP process as a model of social action. It describes how the model was implemented in a particular community to address a need for arts programs for at risk youth. "Art & Action," an outreach program of OSP, became a unique year round after…

This article describes the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) model of instruction and the critical components for its successful implementation and dissemination. It speculates about the future of PLTL and reflects on the lessons learned by the PLTL coalition as it evolved from a small consortium to a national network of about 160 faculty, fourteen…

This article addresses the application of the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) model in Hong Kong, as well as specific aspects of implementation in two schools. One lesson from the localized project, the Accelerated Schools for Quality Education (ASPQE), is that change is slow. This suggests that time should be given for both cultural change and…

In an effort to identify instructional methods that might improve mathematics learning at the grade 4 level when used in a variety of educational settings under typical conditions, the REL Mid-Atlantic research team looked for promising, replicable practices that were being used broadly by teachers in U.S. schools, for which research showed…

This paper reports on the work of a European Commission DG Education and Culture co-financed project PBP-VC, Promoting Best Practice in Virtual Campuses, which is aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the key issues and critical success factors underlying the implementation of virtual campuses. The paper outlines a tentative model of issues…

This article outlines two compatible models of planning and implementing programs for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Ziggurat Model begins the process with an assessment of student strengths and concerns related specifically to ASD and identifies interventions across five tiers that match these strengths and concerns: (a)…

The Adult Education for the Homeless (AEH) program was initiated with funds provided through the McKinney Act of 1987. During its first 4 years, the AEH program served over 100,000 homeless adults. In 1991, 34,000 adults participated in AEH programs in 31 states; nearly half were women. Approximately 60% of those served were between the ages of 25…

Comprehensive school improvement is based on reorganizing and revitalizing the entire school rather than focusing on specific student populations or programs. An overview of 17 schoolwide reform programs is provided in this book. The purpose of the text is to give education leaders basic information about some of the best-known externally…

The Center for the Study and Teaching of At-Risk Students (C-STARS) is a demonstration and validation program which addresses the needs of at-risk children. This model is school referenced, yet designed to enhance the ability of educators to take into account non-school factors which impinge on their ability to provide adequate educational…

Although schools have served as a major target of both educational and mental-health oriented interventions, they have shown a marked tendency to assimilate innovative programs into existing patterns. This paper analyzes the sources and manifestations of resistance to change in schools and discusses the implications of such resistance for the…

Intended as a synthesis of current literature on school improvement and educational change, this guide attempts to provide central office personnel, principals, teachers, and parents with an overview of five school improvement models, along with practical suggestions for improving instructional programs. The second chapter summarizes relevant…

This review of the literature on supported employment for individuals with severe disabilities begins by outlining two Federal definitions of supported employment and noting their similarities. Literature on approaches to supported employment is examined, focusing on individual jobs at distributed or scattered sites, enclaves, mobile crews, and…

The Boulder Valley (Colorado) Teen Parenting Program is designed to meet the educational and vocational needs of pregnant or parenting adolescents. It focuses on the following goals: (1) decreasing the dropout rate of teen parents; (2) improving the health and well-being of children born to teen parents; (3) decreasing repeat pregnancies of teen…