The purpose of this brief paper is to provide insight into the kinds of work being done by an education research group in a US physics department. As will be evident, instructional technology raises many interesting questions and lends itself to a wide variety of studies. References and contacts are provided for readers wanting more detailed…

In terms of absolute or "raw" examination and test scores, those maintained schools in England designated as Roman Catholic by the Department of Education and Skills appear, on average, to achieve higher scores than the mean of non-Catholic schools. Similar findings have been reported about Catholic schools in other differing educational…

As of March 2008, over half of U.S. states are facing projected budget shortfalls for the coming fiscal year. During economic downturns such as this, opportunities available to hard-working, low-wage families are diminished. These conditions create growing concerns for policymakers who must, with fewer state resources, enhance opportunities and…

A year and a half after the launch of the "INEE Minimum Standards" in December 2004, a small baseline study suggested that awareness of the existence of the handbook among educational stakeholders in Uganda was low; in addition, the study found no instance of utilization of the handbook. The present report contains the findings of a…

At the request of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) has conducted "a literature search and review to identify best practices in [school] building design for accommodating the evacuation and sheltering needs of individuals with special needs or…

Assessment is generally seen as one of the key challenges in the field of self-access learning (Gardner & Miller, 1999; Champagne et al., 2001; Lai, 2001; Kinoshita Thomson, 1996). Many researchers and practitioners point to difficulties with assessing language gains in an environment in which variables cannot comprehensively be controlled…

This brief publication provides bullet points of what education authorities are doing well and how they can do better in the following areas: (1) Planning for implementation; (2) Transition arrangements; (3) Meeting additional support needs; (4) Resolving disagreements; (5) Coordinated support plans; and (6) Working with children and young…

Children with autism generally face significant challenges in such areas as normal social interaction, communication, and independent daily functioning, which are considered as the basic skills essential for success in life. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the established research and best practices in enhancing the above skills for…

Acknowledging the fact that teachers are at the heart of any educational reform effort, the European Union funded project EarlyStatistics aims to enrich European children's learning of statistics by offering their mathematics teachers a high-quality online professional development program. A central conviction underlying the design of the program…

In this paper I discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses of two different approaches to teaching motor skills to students in outdoor education and outdoor recreation settings. Using acronyms to describe their stages: DEDICT is a six step, direct instructional model that some outdoor leaders may already be familiar with; and FERAL is my…

In 2002, HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) carried out a review of the contribution of the Scottish science centres to formal and informal science education as part of a broader review of all science centres in the United Kingdom. This report identifies many strengths in individual centres and across the network. It is clear that the centres…

This paper describes the three-year evolution of an online Economics I course, reports on student outcomes and evaluations, and discusses the lessons learned. Results show that, as the course evolved from an instructor-led to a student-centered learning pedagogical model, several indicators of completing students' learning and satisfaction with…

This research explored the diffusion process of distance education in schools of public health to determine best practices in the planning and implementation of future programs. The researcher traced the diffusion process by utilizing a multiple-case study methodology using a semi-structured interview to collect the perceptions of Distance…

This essay describes and analyzes one successful justice education program flowing from community service, and demonstrates how such a program in a Catholic school responds to several important "calls" to Catholic educators. These "calls" are issued by (a) the needs of the learners and the signs of the times, (b) official documents of the Church…

This project on national standards and accreditation of career practitioners is set against a background of unprecedented interest by governments nationally and internationally in the provision of career guidance services. Currently more is known about the policy and delivery of career guidance than at any other time in history. There is growing…