In spring 1983, the Center for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC) surveyed a random sample of 403 instructors teaching academic courses in community college districts in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami-Dade, and St. Louis in order to discover the experiences and aspirations of people teaching the humanities, sciences, social…

A research project identified five clusters of behaviorally-grounded competencies that distinguished effective teachers and mentors from average ones. Effective faculty members: (1) were student-centered; (2) believed that learning is a highly valuable activity; (3) were sensitive to the needs of their adult students and established situations…

Monitoring school performance has become an overriding concern in American political and educational circles, and some of that scrutiny is being directed at the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES). However, there is concern that pressure to prove the effectiveness of Essential Schools may overshadow efforts to actually improve education. Taking…

Providing an example of educational practice others may wish to emulate, this bulletin profiles the work of Elga Brown, an extraordinary kindergarten teacher at Edison Elementary School in Eugene, Oregon. The basic educational objective of Brown's classroom is that every one has a good day, and the overriding rule is that everyone allow everyone…

A methodology for conducting research on managing the disruptive student based on identifying successful teacher strategies is described. The subjects of this study were teachers selected as being outstanding or average in their ability to cope with behavior problems. Data collection included two half-day classroom observations, a structured…

Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics 1993 survey of colleges and universities, this report reviews the frequency of part-time employment in higher education in the context of concerns about the culture of the institution and important finance issues. Part-time workers receive a lower pay rate than full-time employees, and…

Data on teacher absenteeism in the U.S. as a whole as well as in specific states and districts indicate that the problem is serious and growing. A review of research findings on more than 15 factors affecting teacher absenteeism shows that time of year, levels of faculty agreement and community support, teacher interdependence, and requirements…

The body of folk wisdom and research on the characteristics of successful developmental educators indicates, among other findings, that: (1) the single most important factor influencing learning is not the teacher but what the learner already knows; (2) excellence in teaching involves a genuine concern for students; (3) successful instructors are…

This issue of a research journal on gifted education explores various aspects of the new talent-oriented approach to intellectual functioning and development. It examines the role of the family in talent development, career development of talented individuals, and the characteristics of ideal teachers for the gifted. Specific articles include: (1)…

This newsletter reports on the status of biology education in the United States. It states that biology has entered its "golden age" because of the emergence of biotechnology, ecology, agricultural productivity, and human biology as major societal issues. This report discusses the status of the informal national curriculum of biology, involving…

The seven articles in this document concern children, programs, and teachers in the middle grades. The first article, "Essential Elements of Effective Middle Level Education" (C. K. McEwin) serves as an overview of the subsequent articles. "Middle Schools; A Re-Appraisal" (H. E. Sadoff) cautions educators against assuming that a school structure…

This journal presents a forum for discussion and research related to correctional education programs and their effects on students. This inaugural issue contains the following articles: (1) "The Position of Correctional Education in the Current Crime Dilemma," by the editors, describing problems currently facing correctional administrators and key…

This report examines research into characteristics of individuals likely to be considered for placement in administrative positions at colleges and universities. The report describes a grid model of social style which illustrates the various areas where faculty and administrators differ, not only in how they communicate, but also in how they…

This research bulletin contains parts of two studies dealing with the persistent problem of developing effective teachers and stimulating effective teaching. The study reported in "Attitudes toward Merit Pay for Instructional Personnel" (John Weigman) was conducted to survey, analyze, and compare the attitudes of Florida public school…

Teacher absenteeism is a growing problem, according to this short guide on reducing absenteeism. The author briefly reviews the research data on absenteeism from national, state, and district sources. She lists the average costs of teacher substitution by district size and the characteristics of both districts and teachers with bad absence…