The purpose of this study was to evaluate an online professional development course for inservice teachers in the area of information and communication technology (ICT) and concurrently explore the factors that influence online professional development. The study integrated quantitative and qualitative methods including survey, focus group and…

PBS TeacherLine, an initiative funded under the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Teach program, is designed to provide high-quality online professional development for K-12 teachers. Through the first five-year grant cycle, ending in 2005, PBS TeacherLine produced approximately 100 online facilitated courses in reading, mathematics,…

This article describes the implementation of a state-funded grant, the challenges that emerged, and the lessons learned. This yearlong grant, Technology[superscript 3], provided the resources for university faculty, teacher candidates, and cooperating teachers to integrate technology. Findings from the grant did not indicate significant changes in…

This study describes a school-university collaboration involving a number of professional development schools in Israel and examines the efficacy of such collaborations. A government agency requested that a university researcher plan and implement collaborative programs. The program determined to include a heterogeneous group of schools, selected…

Prepared in response to a recommendation from a 1995 accreditation visit, this report describes efforts undertaken at Arizona's Coconino Community College (CCC) to assess student achievement and institutional effectiveness in 1995-96. Following introductory materials on the purpose of the report and an executive summary, a graph of assessment…

How youth programs, particularly those that try to prepare young people for work and higher education, are organized and implemented in the field is reviewed. In many cases, the needs of program practitioners are overlooked by the research community. The focus here is on "second-chance" programs that promote the self-sufficiency of…

This report evaluates a pilot program designed by a county school district and a local college to meet the needs of entry-year teachers in rural Clinton County, Ohio. The county consists of three local school districts serving approximately 4,800 students. The model used a full-time county mentor-teacher who was shared by local school districts,…

The Optional Extended Year (OEY) program was initiated in Texas in 1995 and first implemented in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) in 1996. The primary focus of the OEY programs is to reduce student retention in grade through four school day options: (1) extended day; (2) extended week; (3) intersessions for year-round schools; and (4)…

Noting that teachers and caregivers need an understanding of the fundamentals of developmentally appropriate practices in order to implement programs that meet the needs of young children, this guide serves as a practical tool for staff trainers and supervisors in early childhood education. It addresses four specific groups of early childhood…

In compliance with mandates of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Arizona Department of Education has completed its evaluation of effectiveness for state and locally administered programs in the context of Arizona's existing Chapter 2 goals. The evaluation focused first on state-administered programs and then considered locally…

This guide highlights the many forces driving professionals to seek continuing education: rapidly changing information; new technological developments; mandated credit to maintain licenses and professional certification; emerging professions struggling to define their competencies; and development changes in adults that affect career practices. In…

Two vocational supervisors in each of 47 states were asked to rate the importance of and difficulty associated with learning 106 competencies in 10 areas of vocational administration. Seventy-six administrators responded. In the area of providing technical assistance, providing program guidelines and recommendations and assisting with the…

The state of graduate training in the social sciences and reasons for deficiencies are reviewed, and strategies for improving the situation are proposed. Recent studies of the organization of graduate training in the social sciences have indicated serious weaknesses in the recruitment, selection, and socialization of graduate students. These…

This guide is designed as an aid for the adult education administrator in the pursuit of continuous excellence and quality improvement in adult education programs in Texas. The Acknowledgments section provides an introduction, background, history, and overview of the adult education National Reporting System (NRS); overview of the NRS measures and…

A study examined the extent to which Virginia Professional Development System (VPDS) components met practitioner needs and the degree to which they constituted an inquiry-based professional development system. Interviews with over 50 Virginia Institute for Lifelong Learning (VAILL) participants focused on their use of the Centers for Professional…