Over the past few decades, service-learning has surged in popularity. Although most programs are implemented in high school and college classrooms, service-learning has the potential for great impact in middle school. The present article evaluates a pilot service-learning program for fifth- and seventh-grade (N = 86) children in a large, urban,…

This article describes how to implement the four-phase curriculum review model, a simplified process for renovating a high school health and physical education curriculum. Although this model was used at a large suburban high school, it could be adapted for use by smaller schools or other disciplines. The four phases of this model are: (1) needs…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

Accessing Curriculum through Technology Tools (ACTTT), a model development project, was developed and tested by staff of the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood (the Center), a research and development unit within the College of Education and Human Services at Western Illinois University. The major goal of ACTTT was to develop,…

This guide begins with background information useful to understanding Illinois' framework for implementation and evaluation of Programs of Study. It starts with a visual depiction of the relationships between activity at the federal, state and local levels that evolved to the creation of Illinois' Career Cluster Model. This Model, which is based…

The Career Education Workshops project began August 15, 1972 and was completed April 11, 1973. The primary purpose of the project was o conduct eight workshops which would be geographically distributed throughout Illinois on the basis of teacher population density, and would educate 240 or more elementary teachers concerning Illinois' three newly…

These guidelines were developed to assist school districts in the state of Illinois to develop comprehensive health education programs for elementary and secondary schools. Time and scheduling guidelines directed by the State Superintendent of Education are outlined. The basic components of a comprehensive health education program, its curriculum,…

A major concern of educators in Illinois and elsewhere is that students be given the opportunity to master the basic skills of reading, communication, computation, and problem solving. It is important for school districts to recognize this concern on a local level by including in the program plan for their districts student goals which mention…

This tech prep planning handbook is based on the research conducted at the Office of Community College Research and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The study involved information gathering procedures at each of the 17 tech prep pilot sites about their planning activities. Seven sections are included: (1) tech prep in…

The goal of an articulated secondary/postsecondary tech prep project was to develop a model curriculum to prepare students to enter a postsecondary program leading to an associate of applied science degree. Continuing study at a four-year university would also be an option. Six schools participated as tech prep sites. Each site formed a team…

Described in detail in this report are the processes and procedures involved in the development of a State funded curriculum and program for a new emerging technology, in this instance a Coal Mining Technology Program, to be taught at Wabash Valley College in Illinois. The document provides a step-by-step account of the determination of need,…

A 4-phase study was conducted to provide an objective third-party assessment of the effectiveness of research and development (R. & D.) projects supported by the Research and Development Unit (RDU) of the Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education. Activities during the four phases consisted of: (1) a preliminary review to obtain…

The Program for Learning in Accordance with Needs (PLAN) is characterized by a completely individualized pattern of organization. It employs multiple textbooks and materials which cross grade level lines, subject matter area lines, and teacher-pupil lines. It places particular emphasis on a high concentration of modern mathematics content. The…

Research is summarized and analyzed in this revision of the author's 1960 "Analysis of Research on the Education of Gifted Children," which was used as a guide in the construction and implementation of the Illinois Plan for Program Development for Gifted Children. Information is provided on identification and definition and on…

Objectives of the Rockford Elementary Career Education Project and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) network were used as an organizing framework to discuss project accomplishments. Statements, data, findings, and discussions are presented for the nine project objectives which involved all 57 elementary schools in the Rockford…