The adaptation and use of local area network (LAN) computer technology as an educational enhancement and as a social process in a university teacher education program were studied. The LAN technology, electronic bulletin board, and facsimile machines were used to enhance university supervised clinical settings for novice teachers in the public…

The three principle elements of Total Quality Management (TQM) are a focus on customers; an attitude of continuous improvement of a system; and the involvement of everyone within an organization. At Delaware County Community College (DCCC) in Media, Pennsylvania, the first phase of implementing TQM focused on educating top management for the…

Institutional change requires that "restraining" forces (those forces resisting change) be minimized and "driving" forces (those forces moving in the direction of change) be maximized. Lasting change involves broad-based staff participation in the change process; this requires the establishment of multiple feedback levels or…

This report examines the long-term impact of Academic Program Improvement (API) grants made from 1980 to 1986 at the California State University (CSU), by assessing the factors that contributed to or inhibited permanent adoption of successful innovations. Questionnaires from and interviews with project directors and administrators associated with…

When evaluation is applied to teacher education programs in higher education, a myriad of issues emerge which make assessment complex and critical, especially during the era of reform. The purpose of this paper is to establish a comprehensive overview of assessment processes and reform efforts in teacher education programs. Organized into five…

This publication contains two reports describing the development and beginning evaluations of two separate programs of the Baltimore (Maryland) School and Family Connections Project designed to increase parents' involvement in their children's learning in urban middle grades schools. The first report, "Reactions of Parents, Students, and…

Two major recommendations are offered to teacher education reform efforts: (1) increased collaboration for both leadership and program planning in teacher education; and (2) changes in the roles of public schools and universities in the preparation of teachers. The recommendations emerged intially from a study that focused on discrepancies between…

Higher education's priorities during the next decade for the improvement of secondary and higher vocational education programs were identified. The Delphi technique analyzed a national sample of six vocational education leaders. The respondents, former American Vocational Association presidents, identified 38 priorities higher education should set…

Criticisms of teacher education, the low economic and political costs of trying to reform schools by reforming teacher education, along with the difficulty of filling some teaching positions with persons certified in traditional ways, have fueled a movement to create alternative routes to teacher certification in the vast majority of states. This…

The Implementation of Job Placement Services Guidelines Project was designed to strengthen placement programs and services for California community college vocational students, and for all students needing part-time employment to realize their educational goals. The project was designed to test the validity and relevance of quality indicators…

The Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment of the New York City Public Schools evaluates the Chapter 1 Math Skills program annually. Objectives, which were set by the Division of High Schools, are that at least 50 percent of full-year program participants will demonstrate a normal curve equivalent (NCE) gain of at least 1 unit as measured…

This report describes the development, introduction, and evaluation of the SuperStart comprehensive prekindergarten program adopted by the New York City Public Schools in 1990. By 1991, SuperStart offered 299 classes in 188 schools, providing a developmentally appropriate learning environment to foster cognitive, social, emotional, and physical…

The Wisdom Is Now (Project WIN) was designed to increase student English proficiency, native language proficiency, and academic achievement, increase parent involvement, and encourage staff development at the High School for the Humanities and the School of Fashion industries in New York City. It served a total of 349 students of limited English…

This paper reviews the evolution of the Program for Disadvantaged Youth since 1988, describes its accomplishments and lessons learned, and suggests new directions for the Program to build on its experiences. The Program for Disadvantaged Youth rejects many of the stereotypes about the needs and abilities of young adolescents, many of which are the…

A study was conducted to review local Title VII evaluation and improvement practices, focusing on local Transitional Bilingual Education and Special Alternative Projects. This final report summarizes the findings of the study, and includes a separate report on 18 case studies of evaluation systems of local Title VII grantees. The study reviewed…