A graduate communications course in multimedia literacy uses a completely online environment to assemble faculty and curriculum resources normally unavailable in traditional classrooms. Guided by a teacher/coordinator, a librarian teaches information literacy by examining Internet copyright and fair use issues, ethics, and the evaluation of…

Two analogies illustrate differences in educational philosophy: the child as clay to be molded by teachers to conform to predetermined standards, and the child as a flower, tended by the teacher so that it may blossom in its own way. Case studies of delinquent children have shown that some children are able draw upon inner resources and…

This first annual report details North Carolina's performance and progress in five areas of its First in America goals: high student performance (every student in school and making strong progress, every graduate ready for college and work, and every school accountable for student learning); every child ready to learn (every child with access to…

This report presents third-year findings from an evaluation of the School Choice Scholarships Foundation Program. In 1997, this program provided scholarships via a lottery to low-income, New York City children in grades 1 through 4 that allowed them to transfer to private schools. The evaluation compared scholarship to control students, using test…

This book is designed to help British educators successfully include students with emotional and behavioral difficulties into the mainstream school. It addresses the skills and strategies needed to support the emotional needs of pupils within the British National Curriculum framework and school improvement agenda. The book begins by examining the…

This research project examined the potential role of agricultural experiences as a vehicle for meeting the diverse learning needs of rural primary students in developing countries. Volume 1 of the project report represents a literature review that investigated a "new role" for agriculture as a key element for developing rural students'…

As part of the "National 'What Works' Evaluation for Adult ESL Students," a meeting of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy experts and stakeholders was convened (May 10, 1996) to examine what theory and practice have to say about how ESL students acquire literacy skills, prevalent instructional approaches and methods, assessment issues to…

This book, a commentary on becoming a teacher, presents a set of essays based on observations of a group of young, white, middle class female teachers learning what it means to be alone at the head of the classroom. It presents a textured picture of the development of competence. The picture is organized around the complications of ordinary life…

The use of electronic technologies for the delivery of instruction has grown at an exponential rate over the last five years. Institutions of higher education, corporations, and K-12 environments continue to seek ways to use online tools to deliver instruction. While the increased interest and need is an exciting development, several challenges…

This fact sheet on cerebral palsy is written in both English and Spanish. First, it provides a definition of cerebral palsy and considers various causes (e.g., an insufficient amount of oxygen reaching the fetal or newborn brain). The fact sheet then offers incidence figures and explains characteristics of the three main types of cerebral palsy:…

The Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative (ARSI) is a collaborative mathematics, science, and technology education reform effort among six states in central Appalachia--Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The project aims to stimulate sustainable systemic improvements in these subjects for K-12 students in a…

Colleges and universities can increase the number of students who graduate by making a number of small, strategic changes in institutional policies and practices. Some schools have done this by focusing on effective educational practices and empowering faculty, staff and students to work together in new, productive ways. Others have improved the…

Department chairs are in a position to help shape a culture where student learning is the central focus of faculty, staff, and students (Gmelch & Schuh, 2004). They hire, socialize, and evaluate faculty members' performance, guide curriculum development, and maintain the quality of academic programs. At the same time, department chairs typically…

The process of accreditation review in the U.S. serves two primary functions: quality assurance and continual improvement. The experienced educators who voluntarily serve on accreditation teams apply common standards of quality that serve students and meet public accountability expectations and offer suggestions and recommendations for…

This paper presents the results of instrument development and adaptation efforts associated with conceptualizing and investigating self and organizational efficacies in terms of motivation toward achievement of organizational goals in schools, child welfare agencies, and higher education institutions. Results of initial conceptual development of a…