We discuss teachers' perception of the use of group work in the Information Technology (IT) classroom. We describe the current situation regarding the implementation of group work in IT classrooms in South Africa as well as the challenges that IT teachers face when implementing group work. This information will be used in further research to…

This case study covers a wide variety of challenges facing administrators as they make an effort to improve the learning environments of impoverished communities. It may be used in an introductory course for aspiring school leaders and practitioners in the eld of school leadership. This case also presents myriad complex organizational issues that…

A correlated science lesson is characterized as an integrated science lesson in that it may incorporate traditionally integrated activities and use math as a tool. However, a correlated math-science lesson also: (1) has the pertinent math and science objectives aligned with state standards; and (2) teaches parallel science and math ideas equally.…

The authors describe the premises, processes used, and outcomes of a K-16 simultaneous renewal model, as implemented through the Kansas State University Professional Development School Partnership Project. The goal of this partnership is to improve K-12 teaching and learning while improving a university teacher-preparation program through…

There are those in the school community who believe that the anxious feelings and heightened sense of anxiety experienced by sixth graders as they transition from elementary to junior high school constitute a rite of passage. Teachers and school administrators in the Indiana Area Junior High School in Pennsylvania believed differently. During the…

Our business communication classes will continue to be enriched by students from various cultural backgrounds, many of them ESL learners. Among the numerous benefits of this diversity are opportunities for all students to develop essential life skills through course-embedded community service learning (CSL) projects. This study analyzes students'…

Experiences in designing and teaching a reformed abstract algebra course are described. This effort was partially a result of a five year statewide National Science Foundation (NSF) grant entitled the Rocky Mountain Teacher Enhancement Collaborative. The major thrust of this grant was to implement reform in core mathematics courses that would…

When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was reauthorized in 2004, one of the significant amendments concerned Individual Education Program (IEP) team attendance. A member of an IEP team may be excused if "the member's area of the curriculum or related services is not being modified or discussed in the meeting." The…

Many schools across the United States are attempting to implement some form of decentralization and shared decision making. This paper identifies some of the challenges associated with implementing school-based decision making and describes ways in which some schools and their principals have dealt effectively with them. Three particular…

This set of four short videocassettes promotes the use of promising practices advocating fully inclusive education for students with diverse learning abilities in their neighborhood schools. The first video, titled "Seven Steps to Problem Solving," presents a problem-solving process that empowers teams to work together to meet diverse…

These lesson plans describe some of the basic conflict resolution lessons developed and used over the past years. The collection focuses on seven communication skills, sequenced from skills and activities that generally require the least amount of trust to those that require more. The skills identified include: (1) attention; (2) observation; (3)…

Human systems engineering (HSE) was created to introduce a new way of viewing collaboration. HSE emphasizes the role of leaders who welcome risk, commit to achieving positive change, and help others achieve change. The principles of HSE and its successful application to the collaborative process were illustrated through a case study representing a…

This is the third issue of the magazine to focus on baseball in Panola County (Texas). The issue salutes the Carthage High School baseball program during two periods of its history. The first period was the early 1940's under Coach E. B. Morrison, whose teams were State Finalists in 1941 and 1942. The second period covered is the era of Coach…

Secondary computer science teachers who attended a special institute took part in a coordinated team software development exercise. The exercise was intended to provide experiences with collaborative learning in computer science, particularly to provide project design experiences and to allow students to practice new methodologies that could be…

This study investigated the effect of different gender and ability composition on students' behaviors, interactions, and learning outcomes during small cooperative group activities. The study involved Year 6 children (N=440) who were assigned to one of 12 four-person groups that were either gender-balanced or gender-imbalanced with different…