At many institutions of higher education, first-year seminars are meant to help students transition to college life and to provide them with resources and skills to develop socially and academically, supporting persistence (Jamelske, 2009; Janz, 2004). Since their inception, researchers have evaluated the effectiveness of these seminars and their…

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) commissioned a team from the University of Plymouth and the University of Exeter to conduct: (1) a review of the best available evidence about what schools can do to improve children's learning and attainment via parent engagement, and (2) supplementary research to understand schools' current practices and…

Scholarly studies of international student mobility programs have increased during the last two decades, particularly following the Bologna Declaration. Nevertheless, a systematic review of international student mobility programs and the outcomes and benefits derived from participation in such programs has not been undertaken. This paper provides…

This study, commissioned by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), is designed to review current evidence on the most effective ways in which employers can support schools to improve pupil educational and economic outcomes. It is a study in three parts. It aims, first, to conceptualise employer engagement in education as a strategic tool,…

This article synthesizes research on social capital, school outcomes, internet use, and volunteering to argue that e-mentoring--which is commonly practiced over long distances--could become a powerful way to build greater cohesiveness in local communities. Realizing this potential will require a larger-scale and more coordinated approach to…

This study examines the different types, and effectiveness, of collaboration used by providers to widen participation in further education and training in England between 2001 and 2003. The first section, an introduction, sets a scene for the study and definitions are offered for the main terminology--collaboration and widening participation. The…

The results of nine studies evaluating the effectiveness of volunteer programs in the schools were reviewed in an attempt to answer three questions: What is the value of volunteers to schools? Why do people volunteer to work in classrooms? What is the effect of volunteering on the volunteer? The studies involved were originally intended to…

Recent research indicates that participating in service-learning programs appears to benefit youngsters, but there is scant evidence demonstrating the connection between service and particular educational objectives. Except for consistent evidence supporting a reflection component, researchers have failed to identify which program elements and…

Critically examines the suggestion that unemployment could be reduced by creating jobs in nonprofit organizations, observes trends in the sector's employment and resources, and discusses the conditions in which nonprofit organizations provide social services more efficiently that government and for-profit enterprises. Concludes that this is not a…

Discusses the development of a national accreditation scheme for volunteer assessors in the expeditions section of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award program for young people. Stages of accreditation include wild country experience, introductory learning and preparation, accreditation weekend, and induction assessments. Performance criteria are…

This paper is a status report on efforts to make community service a part of the educational experience of high school students. It reviews the current educational debate, describes policies and practices including specific programs, summarizes research findings on the impact of service, and suggests some critical issues that confront educational…

Research has shown that well-designed tutoring programs that use volunteers and other nonprofessionals as tutors can be effective in improving children's reading skills. Students with below-average reading skills who are tutored by volunteers show significant gains in reading skills when compared with similar students who do not receive tutoring…

In this book, the Committee on the Use of Volunteers in Schools presents an overview of volunteer activity in U.S. public schools. After an introduction in the first chapter, the second chapter provides a brief history of the organized volunteer movement. A mainly statistical profile of the use of volunteers comprises the third chapter. The fourth…

Using an evaluation of a hospital-based hospice as a case study, this paper analyzes problematic issues surrounding health care teams (HCTs) in light of findings revealed in the literature concerning HCT structures and processes. The factors of coordination and role definitions in HCTs and their manifestations in a particular hospice HCT in terms…

These materials, gathered through an intensive review of computer searches in sociopsychological and criminal justice databases, library holdings at Ohio State University, publications from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, and telephone/mail contacts with state and country probation systems, examine issues in probation management…