Contract learning is an invaluable tool in organizational learning and management development. A contract can incorporate teacher-directed learning (TDL) and self-directed learning (SDL), as appropriate. Substantial research has revealed the power of SDL; the trick is to harness this learning for the benefit of the organization. The literature on…

This paper describes how university coursework for a graduate level teaching internship in Childhood Education (preK-4) at the University of Arkansas incorporates standards of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and encompasses performance-based assessment as utilized in Praxis III to develop instructional units. The…

This paper makes recommendations for developing the next generation of state accountability systems for postsecondary vocational education (PVE). It focuses on the need to improve the core indicators for PVE; reduce the burden and improve the value of Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Amendments of 1998 (Perkins III)…

This report takes a global look at the structural changes taking place in the 72 small schools that were created from 17 comprehensive high schools in Washington State. It also discusses the challenges conversion schools face when they operate with a foot in two worlds -- trying to realize the benefits of small while, in many ways, still operating…

This report provides estimates of job and occupational mobility by demographic, educational and labour market variables using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) "Labour Mobility" survey for 2002. The report provides information on the effects of these variables on the probability of job separation. It also identifies the…

This study examined whether teacher behaviors (such as teacher enthusiasm, level of lesson difficulty, teacher voice volume and inflection, teacher use of inquiries, and teacher use of positive feedback) were related to student academic engagement in an inner city day care center. Data were collected by videotaping 13 teachers and 94 ethnic…

These discussions of performance-based student assessment provide a record of a decade-long exploration of unsettled issues in assessment. The first section provides the elements of a basic rationale for performance-based assessment, while the second section contains accounts of efforts to develop new performance-based systems in one city and four…

Personnel evaluation in education occurs predominantly at the summative level and is used primarily for personnel decisions. Teachers are provided little feedback regarding their classroom performance and even less assistance in improving areas identified as weaknesses. While the improvement of instructional practice is perhaps the most…

This guide is a useful resource for educators who would like to begin using portfolios in the classroom. The three major types of portfolios are working portfolios (collections of work in progress), display portfolios (also called showcase or best works), and assessment portfolios. These types are distinct in theory, but tend to overlap in…

Cultural inclusion is more than equal access to learning. It also involves recognizing and valuing the unique cultural capital that students of diverse ethnicity bring to the learning environment. Native American students in reservation schools have experiences that differ from the mainstream, experiences that are rarely reflected in text material…

This study took place within the context of a four-year local systemic reform effort collaboratively undertaken by the Science Education Center at the University of Iowa and the Iowa City Community School District. The goal of the project was to move teachers towards an interactive-constructivist model of teaching and learning that assumes a…

Two papers that examine how to assess students' work in this age of electronic information sources include: "Students on the Net: Enhancing Learning through Authentic Assessment" (James Henri); and "Assessing Students' Work from the Net: An Impossible Dream?" (Paul Lupton) The first paper notes the problem of parents doing…

This report extends the results of an earlier study on the use of performance measures and standards to suggest principles for designing outcome-based program improvement systems. It examines the implications of that research for enhancing accountability in future federal work force preparation legislation. It also illustrates specifically how the…

This updated guide to using portfolios in educational assessment incorporates current teaching practices and new technology. The portfolio is defined as a systematic and organized collection of evidence used by the teacher and the student to monitor the growth of the student's knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The guide offers: (1) clear…

This paper reviews evidence of the impact of individual merit pay systems for teachers on student achievement, presenting new empirical results from a system established within a collective bargaining environment. While many merit pay systems exist nationwide, very little empirical evidence concerning their influence on student achievement exists.…