This study aimed to investigate the needs and develop guidelines for improving competency-based instruction for teachers in small-sized secondary schools under the Office of Nakhon Ratchasima Secondary Education. The research gathered data from 216 teachers drawn by using a stratified random sampling method, the sample size was determined by…

Professional development (PD) is one way to maintain or increase teacher effectiveness in any number of domains. However, PD comes in many formats and with a wide range of evidence on its effectiveness -- both of which can shape teachers' perspectives of the PD even before they participate. The purpose of this research was to examine how…

In the last decade many studies have stated that learning based on digital games emerges as an effective way to combine teaching and learning processes with the attractiveness of digital technologies, because they are dynamic and playful. However, the vast majority of these digital resources -- such as educational games -- are still essentially…

Over the past 15 years there has been an increase in the number of secondary schools in New Zealand developing sports academies, yet there has not been a corresponding increase in the critical or empirical research investigating this phenomenon. The purpose of this article is to describe the micro-politics associated with the inception and…

Road safety education is a complex phenomenon which should be viewed holistically if taken into account the interconnectedness of education, infrastructure and enforcement. Effective road safety education is specifically important for learners in the Further Education and Training (FET) band, as they are active contributors to a community. The…

Millersville University of Pennsylvania (MU) has over 150 years of proud heritage in the preparation of teachers. This article describes how the Secondary Education Professional Development School (PDS) Program model has transformed Millersville University's secondary teacher education from a traditional teacher preparation program into a dynamic…

Learning paths have the potential to play an important role in the way educators serve their learners. Empirical research about learning paths is scarce, particularly in a secondary education setting. The present quasi-experimental study took place in the context of a biology course involving 360 secondary school students. A 2 × 2 factorial…

Responding to the challenge of more rigorous and outcome-oriented program evaluation criteria of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), authors take a critical look at the intersection of two standards: Clinical Partnerships and Practice (Standard 2) and Program Impact (Standard 4). Illustrating one aspect of a secondary…

A theoretical framework for designing, implementing and researching students' engagement, learning, and personal development in e-portfolios is described in this article. After providing an overview of the research on e-portfolios in education, the paper analyses the theoretical foundations of e-portfolio learning. Following it proposes a…

If classroom teachers are among the greatest determinant of student learning, then teacher preparation programs have a role to play improving educational outcomes for struggling learners. There are currently three established teacher preparation program models: (1) "discrete"; (2) "integrated"; and (3) "merged." In the "discrete" model, which is…

Discusses implementation of a FLEX program called Beginning Foreign Language at Mooresville High School, including administrative scheduling, room assignments, budget, general and specific objectives of course, materials, testing, and grading. Concludes positive aspects outweigh unresolved problems. (BK)

Erdkinder is a superior way to integrate academic studies with work experience, community action, and economic activity. Erdkinder actualizes Cosmic Education, making its unity, common purpose, interdependency, and cooperation a way of life. Erdkinder principles could help organize the urban Montessori adolescent work, providing a comprehensive…

Focuses on two major trends in structuring technical education programs: conceptual organization and the societal problem organization. The article concentrates especially on technical education programs in secondary schools. (CT)

Technology is a field of study within itself, and its disciplines are that of the practitioner. Technology is the tool to describe the built environment, it provides the base for "know how," and it is the base for the designer and problem solver. (JOW)

This excerpt from "Designing Challenging Vocational Courses: A Guide to Preparing a Syllabus" presents a step-by-step process for designing challenging vocational courses and preparing a syllabus to communicate course expectations to students. (Author)