Improvement science is a framework which groups can use to identify problems within their sphere of influence, test agreed-upon solutions to those problems, and measure the degree to which those solutions have addressed the problems they intended to change. The pathway groups use to do this work is called Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycles, or PDSA. Much…

Curriculum change affords middle leaders opportunities for pedagogical and planning renewal. This paper reports case studies of two schools engaged in preparing for implementation of Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. Drawing on interview data from a middle leader from each school, Bacchi's question, "What's the problem…

The purpose of this study is to observe the changes on pre-service teachers' cognitive (i.e. fluency, flexibility, and originality) and affective outcomes (e.g. perceptions towards creativity-directed tasks, beliefs about the nature of mathematics) related to mathematical creativity after they participated in a creativity-focused mathematics…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the reform initiatives that began with a focus towards change in the teaching and learning in Singapore classrooms with technology integration. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used in this study is review and descriptive narrative of educational technology polices, initiatives and…

What happens when middle and high school teachers who know their content very well are told they should be teaching reading and writing too? Is there a bit of resistance? A decrease in self-efficacy? An overturning of curricula? In "Disciplinary Literacy in Action," ReLeah Cossett Lent and Marsha Voigt show us a better way. In this…

The purpose of the study is to determine if there any benefits to using a variety of instructional methods in a collaborative setting and if the teaching methods significantly improve student achievement in science. Collaborative teachers are faced with challenges when implementing differentiated-instructional delivery methods in an inclusive…

The language of economics and economic imperatives are driving standardized school reform in the United States without input from teachers. This teacher action research project responds to concerns about contemporary school reforms by considering how economics-minded dialogue about literacy education can help teachers support students' literacy…

Over the course of six years, a diverse group of school districts and charter management organizations in California ran a substantial experiment in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in elementary and middle grades. WestEd led an extensive evaluation of that effort, the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative,…

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the state of provision of continuing professional development (CPD) for vocational teachers and trainers across nine different countries: Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey. However, rather than simply investigating CPD, the study examines CPD in…

Despite the growing descriptions of effective teacher community--and lessons about the conditions needed for them to survive--more research has been done on exemplars of strong professional community than on efforts to produce professional community where it doesn't already exist. Building professional community is important to school improvement…

Creativity and imagination in education are increasingly emphasised around the world. However, a lack of these qualities in Chinese societies has been discussed in the academia and popular media, and attributed to various factors, standardised testing chief among them. In Taiwan, a team of scholars working with the Ministry of Education has, since…

The subject of the research is the planning, implementation and evaluation of the program about prevention of the use of psychoactive substances among students 5-7 grade. The study was conducted by survey method with 314 teachers who teach in twenty-six schools. The qualification of the teachers to work with the program about prevention was…

Preparing students to be successful in high school AP courses and exams begins at the middle school level. SpringBoard is a program created by the CollegeBoard to bridge content expected in high school with the current middle school curriculum. SpringBoard was introduced and piloted in the Colonial School District during the 2014-2015 school year…

This report serves as a legacy document for the Ford Foundation's More and Better Learning Time (MBLT) initiative. It summarizes the approaches to and outcomes and challenges of successful MBLT strategies around the country. The report includes data from a survey for Ford Foundation MBLT grantees across the country and from case studies in Denver,…

This resource is part of a series produced by the Center for Standards and Assessment Implementation (CSAI) to assist educators as they use College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) to plan instruction for diverse learners. Although the processes described in this resource use the Common Core State Standards (CCSS; National Governors Association…