Carroll's (1963) model of school learning and Bloom's (1968) mastery learning both address theoretical and practical aspects of the time factor in school learning via an appeal to diagnostic-prescriptive teaching. The design of instructional environments and materials--particularly as advocated by Glaser (1976)--represents the mechanism to bring…

This paper discusses implications of ability grouping in elementary reading instruction according to current research, and how such research can be applied to the classroom practice of "guided reading" within a balanced literacy program. The paper suggests that the "balanced literacy" approach from New Zealand is basically the…

This paper reports on the current state of elementary school student mental health needs assessment and makes recommendations for future school counseling research and practice. The review of the theoretical literature on needs assessment examines several studies by numerous researchers. With one exception, all instruments reviewed were generated…

This paper reports on the creation, growth, and continual development of a teacher-researcher community formed in conjunction with the University of Georgia site of the National Reading Research Center (NRRC). The National Reading Research Center School Research Consortium (SRC) is a teacher-researcher community that includes approximately 35…

Issues in second language teaching methodology are discussed in light of the concept of proficiency as defined in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. It is proposed that rather than think in terms of identifying one optimal methodology for all second language learners, the profession should be…

Although English teachers have implicitly been aware of the functions of writing, they may not always have explored the ways writing can be used to enhance learning: learning of content, of skills, and of self. Arthur Applebee noted that English teachers were most likely to stress personal and imaginative experiences in their writing assignments,…

Collaborative action research, conducted by teams of practitioners, is a process that enables teachers: (1) to improve student learning, (2) to improve their own practice, (3) to contribute to the development of their own profession, and (4) to overcome the isolation commonly experienced by classroom teachers. By promoting collegial relationships…

A growing body of literature is questioning whether existing models of human development apply equally to men and women. Prevailing theories of human development have been criticized for being based on research with primarily male subjects of similar ethnic, racial, or class backgrounds. Some research supports the viewpoint that women have…

A four-month participant-observation study of new teaching assistants examined what happens when "teaching stories" are taken from the margins and placed at the center of a teacher preparation program. New teaching assistants participated in a week-long presemester orientation, took a one-semester Theory and Practice seminar, and enrolled in a…

This annual report presents six research articles on child development. The articles and their authors are: (1) "Beyond Psychological Limits: Applying Human Development in Education" (John Kirkland); (2) "Beyond Reductionism: Directions toward Understanding Children" (Frank Self); (3) "A Psychometric Examination of the…

In November 1997, Washington University and the Parents as Teachers National Center hosted a forum on how to apply neuroscience research to the field of education. The forum focused primarily on language acquisition in young children, which is fundamental to early learning and development and to later school success. The 110 participants included…

This paper presents a procedure for teaching Management Information Science (MIS) courses called the "Current Reality Tree" (a tool of the Theory of Constraints used to determine the major problem of a system) and proposes a methodology to use it to aid in instruction. The first part of the model (business problems) suggests initiating a session…

Adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) is a complex undertaking that serves diverse learners with a variety of needs. Although no definitive list of adult education principles exists in the literature, the following principles have been identified in multiple sources devoted to principles of effective adult education: involve learners in…

To obtain practitioner input on the research agenda for adult basic education (ABE), practitioner leaders from the Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network (PRDN) conducted nine focus groups with ABE practitioners in their states. The focus groups examined three topics: issues that concern practitioners in ABE; ways practitioners see their…

This study reviewed the literature to trace the evolution and life cycles of seven management techniques related to higher education. The seven case studies involved analysis of a selected sample of periodical, monograph, and technical literature from 1960 to the present. The literature base on each management technique was reviewed in reference…