Engaging educators in learning communities to apply a cycle of continuous improvement is not easy. Schedules, levels of expertise, and district initiatives can easily derail a campus professional learning plan, but Alyssa Toomes was concerned that professional learning experiences would become just another chore to check off teachers' to-do lists.…

Probably, no one "best" model for training teachers in computer literacy will emerge; consequently, staff developers should be familiar with various approaches and apply what they already know about effective staff development to this area. Questions are raised about program objectives, reallocation of resources, training methods, and long-term…

A model program, developed by the Institute for the Development of Educational Activities (/I/D/E/A), to prepare staff development specialists for school improvement projects is described. In this model, trainees experience the staff development processes they will be implementing in schools during their training.

A Teacher Corps project conducted by the Edgewood Independent School District and Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas) is described. A classroom teacher at each participating school is trained to lead professional development activities at his or her school. Teacher involvement in designing professional development at each school is emphasized.…

The Lyons Township High School (Illinois) set out to achieve 100 percent computer literacy for its 3,800 students in one year. Objectives of the overall program for the students and the staff development activities for teachers are described. (PP)

Offers 20 guidelines that facilitators can use in planning effective workshops and staff development sessions. The guidelines take into account the diversity of individuals attending the workshops and ways in which to accommodate various learning styles. (GLR)

This article tells how teachers in the Denver (Colorado) Public Schools are trained in a district-wide computer literacy program. The program concentrates on counteracting teachers' fear of the machines by giving them hands-on practice. Program staffing and organization are described. (PP)

This article explains how a year-long, district-wide staff development program, which focused on developing teachers' critical thinking skills, was carried out. The program was planned and directed by specially-trained local teachers who familiarized their colleagues with Benjamin S. Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. (PP)

Professional learning is necessary for a school or district to achieve its goals. It's logical, then, that professional development plans should not exist separately from school improvement plans. To be comprehensive, professional development plans must be integrated with improvement plans to produce a systematic effort that is results-driven,…