Electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) is no longer a new term in the area of educational research. It has been widely adopted by various tertiary institutions as a learning and assessment tool in different countries. A major feature of an ePortfolio is that it supports lifelong learning by archiving and showcasing selected artifacts from individual…

When Palmdale School District and Pivot Learning Partners entered into their first contract in 2006, neither organization foresaw the magnitude and complexity the relationship would take over time. Pivot Learning Partners (formerly known as Springboard Schools) is a non-profit service provider that first entered the Palmdale School District…

This interpretive case study explores an attempt to add an online component--the On-line Literacy Project--to a successful face-to-face professional development community. Participants were six members of the Literacy Project, which was carried out in the school board of a western Canadian city. The principal theoretical framework informing the…

Given the abundance of open education initiatives that aim to make educational assets freely available online, the time seems ripe to explore the potential of open education to transform the economics and ecology of education. Despite the diversity of tools and resources already available--from well-packaged course materials to simple games, for…

In January 2005, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) was awarded a three-year ITEST grant (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) through the National Science Foundation (award #04-23417). This "AMNH-ITEST High School Science Research Program" aimed to target 120 urban high school youth, grades 10-12, from…

Background/Context: This study builds upon research on teacher professional communities and high school restructuring reforms. It employs a conceptual framework that draws upon theories of "community of practice" and "community of learners." Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study analyzes how teachers' professional inquiry…

Objective: This pilot study tests the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an after-school treatment program for middle schoolers with ADHD using a randomized clinical trial design. Method: A total of 23 students with ADHD (25% female, 48% African American) from a large public middle school were randomly assigned to a 10-week program or to…

The focus of this research was to understand how a program for women in science, mathematics, and engineering (SM&E) at college level in the southeastern United States functioned to influence women's decision making in terms of participation in these fields. By employing Lave and Wenger's theory of situated learning, we explored this program…

A case study evaluated the effectiveness of the Even Start family literacy project, which integrates within a single continuum of service three formerly separate curricular components: adult education, early childhood education, and parent education. A series of case study interviews were conducted over a 4-year period with 11 adult participants…

Responding to a need among Pacific Northwest schools for assistance in changing their literacy programs, this paper presents case studies of 2 schools that were part of the Equity in Early Literacy Development program, which supported the schools in moving from individual classroom literacy innovations to schoolwide practices consistent with…

This report presents a case study evaluation of a mastery system of individualized instruction called Project Excellence at Ecole Secondaire Cochrane High School, Ontario. The curriculum consists of 20-unit learning guides in all courses. Students work in subject area resource centers and consult with teachers as needed. Teachers act as…

Using a case study which documents the creation of the Access and Program Development Division at George Brown College, a large urban community college in Ontario, Canada, this paper explores the nature of leadership in educational management. Introductory material argues that leadership in management should be defined as a performing art rather…

Follow-up data are often a neglected part of the evaluation of community programs. Yet, they should be an essential part of the information input to the process of judging effectiveness and whether or not the program should continue. This paper presents follow-up data on a juvenile diversion program which has been operating in a small Western…

Significant findings are presented from a study conducted to ascertain what work tasks a university's Industrial Technology (IT) graduates were performing, their salaries, and their curriculum evaluations. More than half were involved in 20 people-oriented work tasks; respondents indicated that vital interpersonal skills should be emphasized in IT…

The author emphasizes follow-up in the historical sense of keeping track of the new worker and helping him adjust to adult life. Other benefitting aspects (accountability as a useful school tool and the program's legislative support) are discussed. (Author/BP)