In the information-rich, rapidly changing 21st-century, educators are faced with unprecedented challenges. While new technologies have brought the people of the planet closer together, they have also brought them into contact with an overwhelming array of information sources. The Library of Congress is positioned to help educators respond to these…

Occupational and physical therapists and speech language pathologists provide services for almost half of the children enrolled in early intervention programs nationally. Each professional association has adopted documents defining practice in early intervention that advocate for family-centered practices and interventions embedded in family…

"Turnaround" has become the new buzzword in education. From states and districts paying for principals to be trained as turnaround specialists to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's call to turn around the country's 5,000 lowest-performing schools, the concept of rapid, large-scale reform in individual schools--not just incremental…

This article describes a study in which 53 teachers participating in arts-based professional development courses and workshops gained a profound understanding of the role of the arts in education and an appreciation for the powerful role the arts can play in pedagogy and social justice. The findings of study demonstrate how arts-based…

Enough, for all, forever. These simple concepts provide a starting definition for the complexity of sustainable development and help frame the global search for solutions to the social, economic, and environmental issues that threaten the planet. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is the contribution that the world's education, public…

Emphasis has been on in-service training of primary school teachers in Nigeria with low laid down practises of continued professional development of teachers. This paper submits that there is need for school based professional development programmes for primary school teachers in Nigeria if they are to remain effective.

This paper focuses on the research-related, in-service professional development of social science academic researchers. It identifies as a gap in provision the paucity of provision of career-long training in the "creative" elements of research practice--specifically the methodological skills that have the potential to enhance individuals' research…

Engestrom and others have suggested that major barriers towards school change are rooted in the hidden, implicit aspects of daily school life that are taken for granted. These constitute the school's taken-for-granted routines, which mold teachers' affordances and constraints within the school, without their awareness. The present paper provides…

Background/Context: Although there is a growing body of literature on the characteristics of effective professional development, there is little direct evidence on the extent to which these characteristics influence teacher learning and practice. In particular, few studies exist to date that demonstrate the impact of technology-focused…

New teachers often maintain informal contacts with classmates and instructors from their teacher training programs. It is common for teachers in training to rely on peers and instructors for support and guidance when they are in school. An abrupt break from those contacts can be a significant loss for new teachers who are attempting to find their…

Teacher reflectivity has become significant to practice and research in teacher education and development. The literature on teacher reflectivity is substantial, and reflection has come to be widely accepted as a central factor in the professional growth of teachers. In contemporary research and practice, teacher reflectivity has come to refer to…

Mathematics is a natural part of daily life for young children as they explore and investigate the world around them. To build on these experiences, and to begin establishing a mathematical foundation, early childhood educators must not only be knowledgeable about mathematical concepts, they must also be aware of the most developmentally…

With a majority of English learners born in the U.S. and the proportion of EL students within the overall student population growing dramatically, providing the best possible education for English learners has become an issue of increasing urgency. Aida Walqui, director of West-Ed's Teacher Professional Development Program, makes the point more…

As part of its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaffirmation process, Caldwell Community College (CCC) and Technical Institute's (TI) Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), entitled "Enhancing Writing--Write On!" demonstrates the need to improve student writing through multifaceted interventions. The goals of CCC's and TI's…

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of their school environment in terms of factors that enhance or prohibit the use of instructional technology. The study also investigated whether the technology implementation environment varied for schools at different locations and different levels. Both quantitative and qualitative…