This third publication on the theme of quality in the Commonwealth of Learning Perspectives on Distance Education series widens the discussion beyond external quality assurance processes to a more generic focus on a "culture of quality." It is an extension of the earlier two publications, which came out in 1994 and 1997 and drew…

This is a case study report from a larger study that focused on how an empowerment professional development model influenced the mathematics pedagogical practices and beliefs of Australian primary school teachers during their first year of teaching. The research used an interpretive approach for analysis of data from interviews, observations,…

Through a literature review regarding teacher job satisfaction in the U.S. and in China, in terms of community factors, school factors, and teacher characteristics, this paper finds that most teachers in both countries are satisfied with their jobs, but teachers cited various factors influencing their job satisfaction. This paper makes a…

How one public school used its diversity to foster community, while protecting itself from exclusivity, was studied. This study challenges the assumption that a community-like ethos is impossible in an urban neighborhood public school that has no special admissions requirements. Case study methodology, with almost 250 hours of observation of…

This paper reviews 10 years of debate in Europe on commercial rights of access to government information, starting with the United Kingdom's innovative Government Tradable Information Guidelines of 1996 and ending with the European Commission's Draft Green Paper on Rights of Access in 1996. United States market development and commercial rights of…

This paper provides cross-site policy analysis of themes related to state education reform and the impact of state educational reforms on students with disabilities and special education programs. It analyzes state-level reforms in the general education policy areas of curriculum, assessment, accountability, teacher development, and governance and…

This book contends that learning is enhanced through active involvement in personally meaningful experiences accompanied by processing for meaning and future use. While some processing takes place automatically, much can be done strategically to enhance and generalize learning. Intended as a resource for experiential educators and therapists, this…

The "clinical ladder" is a grading structure that facilitates career progression and associated differentiation of pay by defining different levels of clinical and professional practice in nursing. The clinical ladder approach, which is well established in the United States, differs from the approach used in the United Kingdom's National…

This report discusses the outcomes of a project that investigated elementary schools and classrooms that had a reputation for effective implementation of curriculum differentiation practices to meet the individual needs of high ability students. Using a multisite case study method, researchers conducted observations in classrooms and interviewed…

This bulletin is intended to help British further education colleges clarify their rationale for entering into collaborative programs, assess prospective partners, define and implement good practice at all stages of provision, and establish rigorous quality assurance procedures. Following an introduction, Further Education Funding Council…

The Radio-Television section of the Proceedings contains the following 14 papers: "Law and Ethics behind the Hidden and Intrusive Camera" (Geri Alumit); "Television News and Memory Distortion: Confidence in False Memories for Television News Stories" (Julia R. Fox); "Hype versus Substance in Campaign Coverage: Are the…

This paper presents a case study of Aaron, a 9-year-old Australian gifted student who has exhibited an outstanding interest and knowledge in science and mathematics, while at the same time displaying unusual behavioral and learning characteristics typified by inconsistent performance of many routine tasks. Aaron attends a moderately sized…

Looking at rural Australia, this paper addresses the issue of providing adequate resources to create high quality and diversified higher education environments and the need for more data on the quality of rural student life. A review of the literature shows the underrepresentation of rural students in higher education; rural barriers to…

The factors or variables that contribute to the academic success of limited English proficient students in three schools in New York City were studied. Researchers studied two elementary schools and one high school with successful bilingual education programs. A team of five researchers visited the schools, observed bilingual classes, interviewed…

In 1996-97, the Adult Career Counseling Center (ACCC) at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, enhanced its operation by doing the following: implementing a new computer system to network various software packages; creating and implementing a computerized system to maintain ACCC client records and usage statistics; developing an ACCC policy…