Uses health and openness metaphors to develop measures of organizational climate in a study of 86 middle schools. In addition to socioeconomic status, other aspects of school climate that significantly influence student achievement in basic skills are environmental press, collegial leadership, teacher professionalism, and academic press. Moreover,…

Analyzes two questions: challenges for peace educators and goals of peace education at the end of the millennium. Discusses the meaning and content of peace education and methods of teaching peace studies. Argues for increased multicultural awareness, envisionment of peaceful alternatives to present society, and increased racial and gender…

Describes a study of university students that examined the influences of navigation in hypertext learning environments and discusses advantages and disadvantages of hypertext as instructional media. Discusses active (self-directed) versus passive (pre-sequenced) access; knowledge acquisition; emotional outcomes; and knowledge utilization with a…

Schools are taking many different steps to prevent violence, among them improving relationships with students and building on the relationship with local law enforcement. A comprehensive strategy should definitely include a good crisis plan. All school personnel should know what the plan says as well as their roles in implementation. One sidebar…

Reviews a recent decision in "Littlefield" by the 5th Circuit upholding a school uniform policy. Advises board member who wish to adopt a school uniform policy to solicit input from parents and students, research the experiences of other school districts with uniform policies, and articulate the interests they wish to promote through uniform…

A study of athlete members of the United States Association of Blind Athletes (n=159) assessed factors affecting sport participation and sport attitudes. Those who received physical education in junior high school or high school were more likely to participate in school or college sports than were those who did not. (Contains references.)…

A study of nine effective secondary school teams teaching students with disabilities found the following characteristics: creating positive learning climates, providing instruction that focuses on active learning, setting and maintaining high expectations, allocating time to plan for the co-teaching process, and finding creative ways to evaluate…

Argues that eclecticism is not a viable teaching philosophy and examines reasons teachers follow the practice in the belief that students' learning needs are adequately met. Encourages teachers to examine their classroom practices, and to focus on, and listen to, individual students to determine the direction and pace of their learning experience.…

A rural Saskatchewan K-12 school developed a schoolwide sense of community and a solid relationship with the larger community by setting new directions, team building, and building bridges with parents and the community. Positive staff behaviors, school appearance, and cross-grade interactive projects were critical to the success of the plan. (TD)

Examined a group of Turkish university English language teachers' perceptions of a teacher appraisal scheme with a developmental purpose, investigating whether there was a discrepancy between what the institution intended to achieve and how teachers perceived the scheme before and after participating in it. Teacher interviews indicated that…

Outlines a model for examining research on middle grades reform. Suggests that high levels of implementation of the recommendations set forth in "Turning Points: Preparing Youth for the 21st Century" will improve teacher work life and job satisfaction as well as school climate and student support. (SR)

Proposes a model to explain the underlying theoretical foundation by which Internet learning takes place in an educational environment. Central to this model is the hypothesis that learning and teaching are distinguishable consequences of Internet use in education. The "orbicular model" not only enunciates this hypothesis, but extends the process…

Identifies factors contributing to urban schools' failure, including bureaucratic decision-making processes; outmoded, poorly maintained, and improperly designed facilities; responsibility overload; a new student population comprising immigrants, African-Americans, and the poor; rising security costs; inadequate staffing; and lack of political…

Students completed surveys, including scale assessing perceptions of home-school dissonance, in fifth grade and again the following year. Contrary to hypothesis, African Americans did not report more dissonance that European Americans. High dissonance students were more angry and self-deprecating, had lower self-esteem, were less hopeful, felt…

Graduates of Sudbury Valley School (Framingham, Massachusetts) relate their learning experiences, including the positive relationships they developed with adults, their active role in school administration, the importance of play to their learning, the values they acquired as a result of their schooling, and how their experiences prepared them for…