This report by an Association Task Force itemizes and analyzes the recommendations of the Commission study "Through the Open Door" and proposes alternatives. It responds individually to each of the four sections of the study report recommendations: (1) The Extent to Which the California Community College System is Fulfilling Its Purposes…

Northern Virginia Community College began utilizing a Time-Shared Interactive Computer-Controlled Information by Television (TICCIT) system in 1974 to present the entire course material for English 110 (College Grammar), Math 06 and 07 (Basic Algebra I and II), portions of English 111 (English Composition), and Math 182 and 183. Findings by the…

The "Insights" newsletter, published eight times during the academic year, is intended for elementary teachers interested in open education. The newsletter includes descriptions of actual classroom projects, discussions of teaching techniques, and sources of curriculum and professional materials. This issue treats the topic human…

The 1975 handbook focuses on the major areas of college administration, faculty policies and procedures, the instructional program, and conditions of employment. Faculty membership and responsibilities are described, along with committees, Faculty Senate, departments, and seminars. The instructional program is discussed with regard to curriculum,…

LaGuardia Community College (LGCC) has recently initiated work on the development of a comprehensive system for computer storage, processing, and analysis of data pertaining to student performance, demography, and attitudes. This system is not yet wholly operative, but many of its components have been developed. This report presents the findings…

This study investigated the validity of various approaches to the measurement of English composition skills. Over 600 11th and 12th-grade students were asked to write five 20-minute essays on different topics, to take six objective tests of writing ability, and to do two interlinear exercises. Twenty-five experienced readers assigned scores of…

Schools must attempt to identify and develop those gifted young people who, because of environment and background, are faced with limited opportunities for achievement. At Hunter College High School, New York City, a program was instituted in which"disadvantaged, but potentially gifted" students made up 25% of each entering seventh-grade class.…

This publication, the result of literature surveys, practitioner interviews, and data gathering from a nationwide sampling of school districts, provides information on the trends, concepts, and patterns in grading and reporting that are emerging; and describes some of the practices that are clearly favored over others. The report includes…

Studies indicate that information provided by students may contribute to successful implementation of educational innovations, but educators seldom seek out student perspectives. In April and May 1997, over 160 high school students participated in 16 focus groups in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The students were primarily…

This fastback presents the essentials for understanding how to differentiate instruction to meet the learning needs of all students in today's classrooms. It focuses on: "The Need for Differentiated Instruction" (determining learning needs, deciding what to differentiate, and principles of differentiated instruction); "Strategies…

This book examines how educators, policymakers, and parents can use data to set achievement goals, measure school progress toward these goals, and close the achievement gap. This second edition has been updated to include current studies, policies, and practices. It includes discussions of the five stages for equity reform; tips for effectively…

Studies predicting success in college for students graduating since 1980 are reviewed. SAT scores and high school records are the most common predictors, but a few studies of other predictors are included. The review establishes that SAT scores and high school records predict academic performance, nonacademic accomplishments, leadership in…

Identifies 10 principles that English-as-a-Second-or-Other-Language teachers need to address in collaboration with content area teachers. For each principle, a concern is described, a response is outlined, and a relevant example is provided. (14 references) (Author/CK)

Maintains that issues of student assessment and grading are of particular concern to music teachers. Discusses and describes performance-based and alternative assessment techniques. Recommends the use of portfolios to determine student grades. (CFR)

Many teachers use cooperative learning methods during instruction but face the problem of aligning evaluation techniques with that instruction. Described are methods to include cooperative problem solving in evaluation, including strategies to identify possible grading schemes, to make appropriate problem choices, and to evaluate individual versus…