Instructors have many tools to consider when offering online courses: chat rooms, discussion boards, and interactive Web environments, to name a few. The selection of applications for instructional purposes can be a complicated task as the number available grows. Not only must the application work, but it also must have a pedagogical purpose or…

The purpose of this study is to defend the view that education should be evaluated in terms of the capability to achieve valued functionings, rather than mental satisfaction or resources. In keeping with Amartya Sen's capabilities approach we argue that mental satisfaction provides an inaccurate metric of well-being because of the phenomenon of…

This narrative is one teacher's attempt to represent a personal (political) and professional journey from becoming a student teacher to being a teacher, whilst always remaining a learner. The author offers her record of significant experiences, influences, debates and dilemmas, pausing to reflect on the principles which have informed her work with…

This executive summary of a research synthesis on effective teaching principles notes current trends in effective teaching research and educational reform and finds that research from both teacher-centered and student-centered paradigms have substantial empirical support. Descriptions are then provided of 10 teaching principles identified as…

Written for both professionals and lay persons working with the development and education of older adults, this book addresses issues of aging, expectations for aged persons, and the means to respond in practical and educationally sound ways to the changing needs of older adults. The book is organized in four parts. Part I introduces the world of…

This book asserts that deaf students should be treated no differently from non-deaf students and that American Sign Language (ASL) and English can coexist in the classroom, embedded in the content being taught. It stresses that language acquisition, whether oral or manual, as well as the learning of reading and writing or subject content, are all…

The mission of the Department of Education's Professional Development Team was to examine the best available research and exemplary practices related to professional development, and to summarize the lessons learned from this knowledge base in the form of principles that might inform practitioners and policymakers across the country and guide the…

Consisting of five sections, this paper presents the policy of the British Columbia (Canada) Ministry of Education regarding the organization of educational services for students through provincial curriculum and assessment programs. It also provides guidance to school and district personnel as they carry out their responsibilities to interpret…

Current societal problems and increasing pressures on youth has prompted school systems to infuse values education into the curriculum. Information pertaining to the development and hierarchy of values in students is highly sought after. A random sample of 2,342 students in grades 4-12 were administered the Survey of Values addressing six domains:…

No matter where gifted and talented students obtain their education, they need an appropriately differentiated curriculum designed to address their individual characteristics, needs, abilities, and interests. A program that builds on these characteristics may be viewed as qualitatively (rather than quantitatively) different from the basic…

This paper addresses the rights of children, families, and society regarding the care and education of young children. The paper addresses two basic questions concerning what is meant by the word "right." The first question is, "What is right for young children and families in order to ensure optimal development?" The response…

This paper lists and discusses, in historical progression, books and other writings that are considered to cover the major developments of education in the United States in the 20th century. The paper is intended to help professional educators to know better the great ideas, themes, and books that laid the foundations of education in the United…

Many of the characteristics typically associated with an occupation that is considered a profession are not commonly associated with teaching. These characteristics include: a clearly defined, codified, and accessible knowledge base; a structured, coherent induction experience monitored by oustanding practitioners; control of training,…

One of the goals of Project Onderbouw in the Netherlands is to develop an educational concept and curricula to be used in primary education. The educational concept adopted for the project is termed "developmental education." Based on neo-Vygotskian principles and other theoretical approaches, "developmental education"…

This book describes the premises and practices of how schools become democratic, moral, and purposeful. The introduction describes the need for schools to reclarify their enduring purpose in a democratic society and provides an overview of the status of public education as quite different from most commission reports and media stories. Part 1…