This information memo provides an annotated list of extant surveys used to assess school climate, classroom climate, or teacher effectiveness that are designed for use in middle schools. The purpose is to assist educators to select or design surveys to assess school climate in middle schools, with a particular focus on assessing student engagement…

Despite claims about the significance of early childhood education in improving later outcomes in an individual's life, this stage of development has not received sufficient attention by education systems across the world. Until recently, early education or preschool education did not come under the purview of the formal education system in most…

This address reports the findings of a survey of higher education colleagues on the degree of happiness associated with personal definitions of "meaning of life" and "purpose in life." Using a unique sliding scale, the survey draws items from the Oxford Happiness Project among other sources and began with all ASHE members (N =…

This supplement contains documentation on all the derived variables contained in the TIMSS 2011 data files that are based on background questionnaire variables. These variables were used to report background data in the TIMSS 2011 International Results in Mathematics and TIMSS 2011 International Results in Science reports, and are made available…

Teachers' personality traits are reflected in their classroom instruction--especially in their selection of various instructional strategies, the materials they choose, and their classroom management techniques. Moreover, personality styles are positively interrelated with learning styles as well as teaching styles. In many classrooms, however,…

What happens behind classroom doors--the content, experiences, and interactions with teachers that students encounter--is the "sine qua non" of student classroom learning. But everyone's inventory of instructional practices across different subjects and grades is limited; and the same can be said about everyone's knowledge of what makes for good…

The use of portfolios for assessment is gaining popularity in higher education. Despite acknowledged difficulties and flaws associated with this assessment method, portfolios have advantages over traditional methods. Handbooks on methods of constructing portfolios often emphasise the mechanics of the "process" of building portfolios.…

This article describes research instruments that facilitate the description of teachers' beliefs and practices and their use with further education (FE) mathematics teachers. They consist of linked questionnaires aimed at both teachers and students, validated by cross-referencing with more open questionnaires and with classroom observation. They…

Most professors realize that students receive and process information in different ways. Some professors are even capable of identifying how most students learn. If students' learning styles are compatible with the teaching style of their instructors, they tend to retain more information, effectively apply it, and have a better attitude toward the…

High School and Beyond (HS&B), is the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES's) national longitudinal study of the high school sophomores and seniors of 1980. As one component of the base year data collection, teachers were asked to fill out a short questionnaire concerning those HS&B students whom they had taught during the…

Surveys the professional characteristics of instructors teaching English as a Second Language to adults in non-credit programs in Ontario. Findings describe the teachers' age and gender, educational backgrounds and professional qualifications, teaching experience, employment conditions and opportunities for professional development. (eight…

Teacher educators like talking about the pre-service--in-service continuum as a way of expressing their views, that inevitably, they are expected to play a multifaceted role in and outside of the classroom. In this respect, what is of greater concern is that many teachers are inadequately prepared to teach ethnically diverse students. Malaysia is…

A questionnaire and interviews were used to assess personal and professional characteristics of 97 Canadian college faculty reaching age 65 in 2000-2010. It measured career satisfaction, interest in a career alternatives program, and retirement plans. A significant proportion of respondents found little satisfaction in academe and would consider a…

The report examines university department-level policies regarding faculty hiring, promotions, and benefits. After an introduction, four sections provide information on: (1) faculty composition in departments of instruction (number of faculty per department, percentage of departments with faculty of various types, joint appointments, and teaching…

Information about faculty who were teaching full time in fall 1982 in English, history, modern languages, and philosophy is reported, based on survey results. Gathered from 2,400 colleges and universities, the data cover gender, ethnic/racial background, academic rank and tenure status, and level of educational attainment. Detailed statistical…