Constructivism is a response to the depersonalized hugeness of our society and institutions. The constructivist model for education offers a way to decentralize the authority of a large and distant administration and return decision-making to the local level, that is, to learning communities, teaching teams, and individual classroom teachers. This…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a structured, collaborative co-planning model. Participants were 28 general education and special education teachers, who participated in extant team or co-teaching arrangements in grades 4-12 general education classes. The model was designed to increase: (1) the number of instructional interventions…

This is the final report of Phase 2 of a study on teacher training and professional development in the nation members of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Phase 2 examined policy and practices of teacher induction in 11 participating APEC members. This report provides responses to a survey and three case studies. The survey asked Education…

This study looked at teachers in their 2nd-4th years of teaching to compare their professional activities with what current studies indicate are teacher leadership behaviors and characteristics. The study sought to determine whether the University of Southern California's teacher preparation program taught the professional skills that elementary…

This study examined processes through which two teacher educators and their students learned about online collaboration. Participants collaborated on a set of integrated units of curriculum design that would be relevant to what students in three different courses were studying and would show them the advantages of collaboration. Students selected…

This essay collection presents a range of teaching strategies developed by teachers of literature who have heard the call from students, employers, and academic administrators for more relevant learning experiences in an ever-changing world. Integrating critical theory and classroom experiences, the essays demonstrate how to foster learning,…

During the 1990s, Virginia implemented statewide Standards of Learning, but several school districts did not have the capacity to meet these new content and performance standards. In 1996, a "high-need" rural Virginia school district was selected as a development site where elements of a technical assistance system to improve student…

This study described the experiences of five interns and their cooperating teachers during internships in high school language arts classrooms that included diverse students and used team teaching. The study investigated participants' perceptions and experiences in this type of classroom versus previous experiences in inclusive classrooms without…

This study tested the factorial validity of the Teacher Interpersonal Self-Efficacy Scale, which measures teachers' self-efficacy beliefs regarding the interpersonal domain of their functioning. The scale includes three subscales to assess teacher perceived self-efficacy in (1) managing student behavior in the classroom, (2) eliciting support from…

This final report describes the activities of the Reinventing Schools Research Project, a project that investigated how the inclusion of students with severe and other disabilities merges with larger efforts of educators, administrators, and parents to restructure and reform schools and how to influence the direction of that merger. The project…

This theme issue on standards contains 11 articles written by teachers of English and language arts in Bread Loaf's primarily rural, teacher networks. These narratives describe how teachers in Alaska, South Carolina, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Arizona, and New Mexico are implementing state content standards while honoring local contexts for…

Three rural Utah schools received a grant to improve teachers' skills in adapting core curriculum to the needs of diverse students, provide access to teacher support services, and improve inclusion for students with diverse learning needs. The 2-year grant enabled one person to coordinate staff development and provide comprehensive inclusion…

This publication assembles the most current research on professional development and change for teachers looking to accelerate their professional growth and the improvement of student learning. Designed as a how-to resource, it reviews the stages of building an effective professional development system. The seven chapters are: (1) "Developing a…

This paper provides a brief overview of the literature on collaboration among higher education faculty and describes the process of creating a capstone experience for regular and special education student teachers and interns. During the 1997-98 academic year, three faculty members were assigned the task of creating a common capstone experience…

This paper explains that the old NCATE standards had five themes which survive in various forms in NCATE 2000. The conceptual framework and themes of diversity and technology continue to be heavily emphasized. Elements of the conceptual framework include shared vision, coherence, professional commitments/dispositions, commitments to diversity…