How do people experience engagement? We explore this question by interpreting stories of engagement, stories associated with projects undertaken in conjunction with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation's Leadership for Institutional Change (LINC) initiative. The stories convey a sense of what it means to be and feel engaged: it is a resonant experience,…

At Michigan State University (MSU) we have developed and are testing a faculty survey instrument to gather institution-wide information on outreach activity. We have sought to define consistent quantitative measures that can be used both to describe the whole institution's investment of resources in engagement activities and to establish…

This is a collection of school improvement materials from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NREL) school improvement research series. A topical synthesis, two "close-ups," and four "snapshots" focus on core aspects of early childhood education (ECE) and elementary education. The topical synthesis examines: (1) what…

Noting that the computer software cataloging system at the media center of the Washington (Illinois) Center for Continuing Education is essentially a card catalog in notebook form, this article describes aspects of the development and utilization of the system. Major sections describe: (1) software cataloging system terminology; (2) steps for…

This study examines ways in which teachers who are more and less effective classroom managers prevent misbehavior and deal with misbehaviors they cannot prevent. Six middle-grade teachers in a suburban, midwestern school district were observed during spring, 1988. Information on misbehavior in teachers' rooms was coded according to four…

Considering that the field of American early childhood education and care is at the brink of a major shift in how it views its mission, this paper provides policymakers with ways to help understand the emergent situation, to define excellence in early education and care, and to plan a strategy to improve provision of services. A glance toward the…

This report examines the current condition of educationally disadvantaged children in the United States, describes conditions likely to prevail through the year 2020, and discusses implications for the education of disadvantaged children. The text: (1) develops a common definition of the term "educationally disadvantaged"; (2) identifies the…

Some semanticists have argued that technical vocabulary or terminology is extralinguistic and therefore semantically uninteresting. However, no boundary exists in linguistic reality between terminology and ordinary vocabulary. Rather, terminologies and ordinary language exist on a continuum, and terminology is therefore a legitimate field for…

In an effort to more clearly define the engineering method, this document attempts to draw distinctions between engineering and science. Part I, "Some Thoughts on Engineering," discusses strategies that engineers employ to solve problems, and the characteristics of the types of engineering problems. Part II, "The Principal Rule of the Engineering…

Intended to help teachers present Indian legends for the maximum benefit and enjoyment of students, this guide provides background information and learning activities for seven legends derived from the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Winnebago tribes. Introductory material discusses the history and purposes of tribal legends and outlines student objectives…

Media statements and pronouncements by leaders in various sectors throughout the nation confirm that literacy still means the ability to work with the printed or written word. It is also evident that the term literacy includes more than reading. Literacy encompasses writing, speaking and listening, computing, and even problem-solving skills.…

Determining how many students drop out of school and why they leave is not easy. The definition of a "dropout" varies from school district to school district, and the mobility of students makes counting them accurately nearly impossible. In an effort to define dropouts in a way that can be applied uniformly across the country, a…

The monograph summarizes characteristics of effective instruction of mildly handicapped and non-handicapped students by focusing on two literature areas: Instructional Psychology and Models of School Learning. The review on instructional psychology covers the following areas: definitions of instruction, principles of learning, models of the…

Fifteen papers from the University of South Africa's Conference on Distance Education are presented on the theory and practice of distance education. Titles and authors include: "Evaluation at a Distance" (Margalit Ganor); "Can the Tables Be Turned? Likelihood That Distance Teaching at University Can Be More Effective Than…

Defining the concept "rural" to the satisfaction of demographers, policymakers, educational researchers, sociologists, journalists, and legislators is an ongoing and complex problem. As a sampling of definitions used by different researchers/agencies illustrates, the two categories of definitions of rural--qualitative and…