Transforming schools through mastery learning may solve education's existential crisis, offering today's learners the relevance and individualization they need while returning to the most ancient form of assessment, proving that learning has occurred. Mastery learning requires significant change to all the norms and practices of school, altering…

The isolation that has historically plagued the teaching profession has particularly harmful effects on novice teachers who need the guidance, wisdom, and encouragement of other educators. In recent years, however, social media tools have helped many teachers connect with colleagues and build robust professional learning networks (PLNs) beyond…

Describes examples of "disruptive technologies," some of which may affect teachers and students, such as Instant Messaging and CDN (Content Delivery Network). (PKP)

This article discusses how schools and school districts across the U.S. face a growing "leadership deficit." Accelerating retirements and reportedly shallow pools of applicants for administrative positions are raising alarms about future leadership. And all of this is happening just when schools will need the best leaders ever. Four…

Claims that multimedia publishing will become an important part of the 1990's classroom and that impersonal technology can create a rich, collaborative learning environment. The author's successful educational media workshops were based on cooperative and self-directed learning, pride of authorship, and a scavenging approach to assembling…

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, federal legislators, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and local businesses and community members, a consortium of 20 suburban Chicago school districts formed learning networks to master Goal 5 of the Goals 2000…

Staff development as a transferable package of bite-sized knowledge pieces is outdated. To implement reform plans, teachers must be able to discuss, think about, try out, and hone new practices. Teachers can learn by observing children, adopting new subject-matter approaches, using strategies for learning together, integrating assessment with…

The Washington-based America 2000 system may be as close to a genuine national network as education in the 1990s will get. Riddled with inconsistencies, the network is becoming a nationwide "meeting-place" for reformers supporting the general concept of educational reform without the financial obligations. America 2000 is a top-down…

Describes the pilot year of the Project for School Innovation, a Boston charter-school initiative to bring together charter and district schools to cultivate innovation in public education. A major goal of the project is to overcome the shortcomings in teacher professional development through professional empowerment, professional networks, and…

Four principles emerged from 1980s reforms that should guide scaling-up strategies in California and elsewhere. School improvement efforts must be designed to create active, thinking curriculum in specific disciplines; success should be judged by whether increasing numbers of students reach agreed-upon performance goals. Initiatives should be…

State-supported teacher networks like the California Subject Matter Projects and the Vermont Portfolio Networks can be a useful alternative to conventional inservice training programs. Networks are cost-effective and connect teachers with resources, provide ongoing support, and expand teachers' leadership opportunities. A mix of constructed and…

The National Network for Educational Renewal is committed to cultivating and connecting all the essential components of a healthy teacher education enterprise: the partner schools (clinical or professional development schools); subject specializations of university arts and sciences departments; and the part of teacher education commonly provided…

Since 1987, Indiana Middle Grades Reading Network, funded by Lily Endowment, initiated a variety of projects designed to promote young adolescents' reading. A Reading Bill of Rights was developed to create communities of readers. Some valuable lessons emerged: attention must be given to teens' reading needs; schools must be central; students need…

Whether organized around subject matter, teaching methods, school improvement, or restructuring efforts, successful networks share common features, such as focus, variety, and opportunities for discourse and leadership. Networks can also present nagging problems concerned with quality, application, stability, overextension, ownership, expanding…

Describes IMPACT II, an experimental teacher-to-teacher network that encourages teacher-initiated innovations by offering "developer" and "replicator" grants. Reports the results of a survey evaluation of the project and concludes that innovation works best from the bottom up. (Author/WD)