A study examined experiential education programs in terms of how they developed participants' personal agency, sense of belonging, and levels of competence. Personal agency empowers students to become change agents in their lives and communities; sense of belonging enables participants to see themselves as members of a community with rights and…

This monograph features four papers that highlight school-based teacher training programs through Northern Arizona University's (NAU) Center for Excellence in Education (CEE). The first paper, "Reflection, Research, and Practice in a School-based Teacher Education Program (Peggy Ver Velde, Sherry L. Markel, Jeanne Dustman, Barbara Campbell,…

In December 1996, a peace accord ended 30 years of civil war in Guatemala, during which an estimated 200,000 people were killed and over 1 million were displaced. Most of the war's victims have been indigenous (Maya) Guatemalans--who make up about 65 percent of the population--and other supporters of economic and political reforms. In this book,…

Despite suggestions for incorporating students' experiences into school math lessons, mathematics education seems to be the last bastion of formalism. This paper reports on a sociocultural study of the use of students' personal experiences in early childhood elementary mathematics lessons. This study documents the use of students' personal…

This study examines the nature of the initial implementation of a new multicultural sociology curriculum by eight teachers in the 11th- and 12th-grades of seven Israeli high schools. The study examined: (1) the extent and ways in which teachers reframe their theories of action as they learn to implement the new curriculum; (2) the factors that…

This paper describes the different methods used to evaluate individually configurable multimedia materials developed for the Horizon project, a program designed to increase employment opportunities for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. The project established a working cafe/restaurant in East London staffed by the students. Part…

This study examined the academic and social experiences of first-year female and visible minority group science students at "Big U," a large multi-racial and multi-cultural commuter university, located in a central Canadian city. In 1992, a total of 498 incoming science students were surveyed in September, November, and February-March of…

This document summarizes the findings of a year-long study that used case studies of specific schools in Japan to collect qualitative data on the Japanese educational experience. From 1994-95 the Case Study Project (a component of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study) collected information from interviews with students, parents,…

An action research project described a program for improving prerequisite reading skills. The targeted population included students in a special education kindergarten and an at-risk first grade from declining urban schools located in a medium sized Midwestern city; and students in an at-risk prekindergarten program from a nearby middle class…

The proceedings includes the following: "Evaluation of the Leadership Development of Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program Graduates" (Lee-Cooper, Weeks); "Model for Undergraduate Academic Programs in Agricultural Communications" (Terry, Jr. et al.); "Competencies Needed for Graduates of Agricultural Communications Programs" (Terry,…

This report is the second in a series that follows 1992-93 college graduates' progress through the teacher pipeline using data from the Second Follow-up of the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study. It examines academic characteristics and preparation for teaching of those who took various steps toward teaching and is organized by a…

Economic, technological, and social changes occurring around the world have produced incredible challenges for youth, symbolized by persistently high youth unemployment rates despite increasing educational attainments and a shrinking youth population. Chapter 1 of this book provides an overview of the initiatives undertaken by Canada and the…

In Finland, ammattikorkeakoulu (AMK) or higher vocational education institutions or polytechnics are professionally and practically oriented; their teaching and learning methods reflect approaches different from those of universities. Training and learning methods focus on learning by doing. Project work used in polytechnic programs offers…

This document focuses on investigations of three main issues of "User Choice," which has been applied to New Apprenticeships since 1998. The issues are as follows: (1) why some firms do not access User Choice when arranging training for their trainees and apprentices; (2) whether the size of the firm has a significant impact on User…

The question of whether a 15-week capstone course in agricultural communications for seniors in agricultural communications builds leadership skills beyond technical classroom learning was examined in a study of 15 students enrolled in the capstone course. The descriptive study used a pretest-posttest design and a leadership skills inventory to…