The maintenance and development of information-documentation professionals' skills has always constituted one of the major objectives of L'association des professionels de l'information et de la documentation (the Association of Professionals of Information-Documentation (ADBS)). The hundred different and complementary training courses on…

Principals don't have to leave town--or even their office--to get smarter. With a phone, fax, and computer, they can set up a self-service principal's academy simply by tapping into a broad array of resources that are available on the Web, in their district organization, and among trusted colleagues. Help is close at hand, whether they need…

As developers and facilitators of the leadership institute, the authors have learned a great deal about the design, implementation, and evaluation of principals' professional development. In this article, they discuss several features and key components that are necessary to provide a high-quality leadership development program. Just as other…

Principals often think of professional development in terms of activities--attending a workshop, networking with colleagues at a conference, reading a professional article or book, and so on. Although these are all good things in and of themselves, genuine professional growth does not occur until knowledge and skills are put into practice at the…

This article draws upon the work of two researchers who facilitated practitioner research with school professionals in Liverpool. The researchers themselves had not been involved in practitioner research before. In this account, the researchers reflect critically upon their own experience. The discussion presents the learning curve that the…

In this article, the authors describe an assessment-centered teaching (ACT) framework they developed to communicate the integration of assessment and instruction. The framework is a visual representation of the relationships among the fundamental elements of assessment knowledge: the characteristics of quality goals for student learning and…

Toulmin's model of argument has been used by researchers as a theoretical perspective on argument and as a methodological tool for analysing episodes of oral argumentation in school science. An adaptation of Toulmin's Argument Pattern (TAP) has also informed a professional development programme for teachers. Research on the impact of the programme…

Imagine a world where evaluation is a social epidemic . . . where individuals, groups, organizations, and communities are constantly learning about and from evaluations. The author believes that we are well on our way to creating a "global cascade" of evaluative thinking and practice. Evidence of this phenomenon can be seen in the field's…

Assistive technology (AT) has the potential to increase developmental skills and provide solutions to challenges, such as behavior, attention, and communication, faced by students identified with disabilities or at risk in early childhood settings. Early childhood education professionals must have AT knowledge and competency to effectively use AT…

What purpose is served by renovation or redesign of professionalism, and how successful a process is it likely to be? This article addresses these questions by examining the effectiveness as a professional development mechanism of the imposition of changes to policy and/or practice that require modification or renovation of professionalism. The…

Once a motley mix of afterschool, before-school, summer, and weekend programs, the out-of-school-time (OST) field is fast consolidating. As in other emerging fields, efforts to professionalize are gaining momentum; the field now boasts several professional certificates as well as degree programs. Strong emphasis has been placed on in-service…

The dramatic change over the past 20 years of the demographics, education and career trajectory of superintendents has significant implications for the nation's schools. Since 1923, the State of the American School Superintendency has documented the evolution of superintendents' careers and school district leadership more broadly. The most recent…

Ensuring quality teaching in every classroom across an entire system of schools--that's what a district leader's job is all about. A district leader's challenges are unique so "The Learning System" was created with that in mind. This issue contains: (1) What Works Around the World: Landmark Study Examines Professional Learning Abroad to Pinpoint…

In this article, we present a balanced view of the prescriptive authority debate in relation to five major issues and within the context of the practice of psychology in the schools: (a) appropriate training, (b) quality of care, (c) access to services, (d) continuity of care, and (e) professional identity. We also provide an analysis of the…

The present study examines an innovative attempt to address national priorities with regard to subject (mathematics and science) and the needs of gifted and talented pupils. The initiative, PGCE Plus, was at the transition from initial qualifications and the domain of continuing professional development, occurring in the summer immediately…