Communities of practice as organisations of learning have developed different forms as: task-based, practice-based or knowledge based communities (Barab et al., 2004). The paper presents a case study of a successful community of practice developed under the umbrella of Council of Europe Pestalozzi programme for teacher development. The programme…

This paper uses time series data from a widely used assessment to identify colleges and universities that demonstrate positive trends on a range of educational effectiveness measures, describe observed patterns of improvement, and examine informants' accounts of factors that contributed to the improvements. This study informs broad questions about…

This paper reports data from the evaluation of the numeracy component of a long-running educational intervention, covering the period from 2001 to 2008. "QuickSmart" is both an intervention and research project operating in Australian schools. It is a structured intervention program designed for middle-school students (ages 10 to 13…

The Texas A&M University (TAMU) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TAMUS LSAMP) office provided funding to the Texas A&M University College of Engineering to support student participation in the Engineering Learning Community Introduction to Research (ELCIR) program. ELCIR is a two-week, study abroad, research program…

Presented are brief descriptions and comments by administrators of some California arts programs on producing a quality arts program inexpensively. Topics discussed are: initiating a Comprehensive Arts program, the use of CETA artists-in-residence, curriculum development, and the coordination of a high school fine arts program. (Author/SJL)

A two-year project involved two elementary school faculties in planning curricular change. Both schools selected two major goals: to improve reading achievement scores and student self-concept. University personnel served in a consultant/trainer role. The school staffs expressed doubt about the feasibility or the necessity of the self-concept…

This study is a group counseling program developed to enhance self-esteem and vocational self-esteem of university students. In this paper, a brief theoretical background, all sessions of the program and applications were presented. (Contains 14 footnotes.)

There is a general agreement that academic standards in Papua New Guinea high schools are below those in many other countries. This paper will examine this problem generally and also in relation to the teaching of mathematics and science. At Goroka Teachers' College, which is the only teacher training college for secondary school teachers in Papua…

Focusing on the application and outcomes of quality-based management and assessment practices in use at Western Wisconsin Technical College (WWTC), this report outlines the college's four-module quality improvement training program, reviews college outcomes data related to student achievement and employer satisfaction, and describes eight…

Partnerships between higher education and public schools in rural areas can lead to improved education in both sectors. When launching a partnership, all concerned must convince a wide sector of the community that such programs are cost effective and will lead to more successful educational programming. By providing such a rationale early, the…

To meet the need for improved science instruction in rural schools, a project to identify, honor, and provide training for outstanding rural science teachers in grades 6-9 was designed cooperatively by the National Science Foundation, Kansas State University, Kansas Cosmosphere and Discovery Center, and rural school districts. In order to create a…

This paper explores how the 4-H youth development program is based on and conducted in a manner consistent with the philosophy of experiential education and Dewey's (1938) principles of interaction and continuity. The paper presents the history of 4-H relevant to an exploration of Dewey's influence on the program, asserting that it is within the…

Described is a procedure (Audit Dress Rehearsal) used in a special education program audit consultation service which included a practice audit designed to lower anxiety and raise awareness of concern for program success. The introduction includes sections dealing with evaluation and audit personnel, planning and implementing an audit, and stages…

Four key topics in the implementation of Title II legislation are reviewed: (1) the Congressional intent of the Basic Skills Improvement Program (BSIP) and its two major focuses--demonstration and coordination; (2) what is meant by "basic skills"; (3) expected outcomes for the BSIP; and (4) standards for demonstration projects. Congress…

This paper (1) briefly describes Tennessee Technological University's past involvement in teacher education follow-up evaluation; (2) discusses work related to the evaluation of programs training early childhood teachers; and (3) describes a new center established to study teacher education program evaluation. In 1973, the University developed and…