This 9-minute videotape highlights "Before It's Too Late," the centerpiece report of the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century. The Commission was charged with creating a plan to improve the quality of mathematics and science instruction in K-12 classrooms nationwide. The report, released in September 2000,…

This paper reports on a study that described how assistant principals operate within the context in which they serve, and how they and their professional situations interact. Its focus was less on their duties and more on the how: how they think about what they do and their position, how they perceive their place within the organization, and how…

Educational standards and accountability are at the center of an ongoing national debate on school reform that began almost 20 years ago. This debate has raised fundamental questions about school effectiveness and the strategies educators should use to boost student learning. This book provides a closer look at these questions and seeks to answer…

This document presents the Year 8 Annual Report of the Southeastern University and College Coalition for Engineering Education (SUCCEED). Contents include: (1) Executive Summary; (2) Response to Recommendations of Prior Review Teams; (3) Major Accomplishments; (4) Faculty Development; (5) Outcomes Assessment; (6) Student Transitions; (7)…

This document presents the Year 9 Annual Report of the Southeastern University and College Coalition for Engineering Education (SUCCEED). Contents include: (1) Executive Summary; (2) Response to Recommendations of Prior Review Teams; (3) Major Accomplishments; (4) Faculty Development; (5) Outcomes Assessment; (6) Student Transitions; (7)…

The goal of any professional development program is to inform and change teacher behavior as a result of new information. Professional development activities need to be designed in a way that ensures that teachers' time and your investment in time and money pay off in increased student achievement. Getting teacher buy in is important when…

In an effort to meet the new challenges for improving teacher education and student learning in P-12 schools in New York, and to develop a shared vision among partners of a National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education (NCATE) conceptual framework, the faculty and staff of a school of education in New York conducted a school-college…

The Wilderness Education Association (WEA) trains outdoor leaders, instills a sense of stewardship in the wild outdoors, and provides the skills and knowledge necessary to lead and teach the public in the appropriate use of wilderness areas. WEA courses are offered through a network of 40 accredited affiliates around the world, including colleges…

The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies (NLS and NNS) represent a major government initiative to improve classroom practice and student learning in literacy and mathematics in elementary schools across England. National targets were intended to increase the percentage of 11-year-olds reaching the "expected level"--Level 4--in…

This report is the result of the First Annual Forum of the National Institute for Science Education (NISE) held in Rosslyn, Virginia, on March 18-19, 1997. The purposes of the forum were to make relevant professional audiences aware of NISE work and, just as importantly, to gain those audiences' perspectives on and participation in NISE work.…

The application of history of science to inform the design/curriculum, implementation/instruction and learning/assessment of science education is a process full of choices. What history and whose history to select and for what purposes ultimately defines the models of curriculum, instruction and assessment employed. Three organizational approaches…

Developing an understanding of the nature of science (NOS) among students is one of the goals of scientific literacy. According to research, K-12 students do not have contemporary views of NOS and teachers' views of NOS generally are not consistent as well. This paper presents a study investigating the effects of different types of NOS…

Studies have found that many teachers are not successful with African American students. This study grew out of the need to explore and learn from insights and knowledge of effective Title I White Reading teachers and their personal experiences, beliefs, and instructional practices. These experiences have helped the teachers bridge cultural…

Although instructional leadership is acknowledged to be a critical skill in educational administration, few principals and superintendents have had in-depth training for that role, especially in a standards-based environment. Current definitions of instructional leadership include much deeper involvement in the "core technology" of…

The argument presented in this paper is that teachers are the fundamental engine for enacting long-term change in education, and that their professional development is indispensable for obtaining the expected outcomes in educational systems. The paper presents a brief overview about the primary teachers in Latin America and identifies the…