The Master of Public Administration program at West Virginia University has adopted a portfolio approach to connect program experience more effectively to professional preparation and career development. Although the portfolio is intended to enhance the learning experience, it also assists in assessment of curriculum and program needs. Form,…

Reviews World Wide Web sites, specifically those related to the professional growth of developmental educators and students. Cites two Web pages in particular--the College Reading and Learning Association and Webliography--that offer many valuable resources. Contains 53 Web site addresses. (AS)

Asserts that California's 1999 Public Schools Accountability Act does not do enough to address the underachievement of students in high-poverty schools. Recommends four initiatives to improve the academic performance of students in these schools: provide better teachers, boost instructional time, increase teacher professional development time, and…

Reports a critical friendship between two colleagues--an English for academic purposes teacher and the author--that resulted in the mutual development of both. Suggests that teachers wishing to carry out similar methods of reflection may want to develop ground rules before the friendship begins, such as defining the roles of the participants,…

Discussion of online learning and institutional training focuses on professional development that is offered by three types of providers: degree-granting institutions; online education entrepreneurs; and public/nonprofit organizations. Presents advice on key issues to consider when choosing a provider and discusses effective time management. (LRW)

Describes the evolution of a young professional-development school, detailing challenges and successes the school has experienced thus far. The idea was to offer teachers a context for bridging theory and practice and provide additional resources and opportunities for ongoing collaboration and dialog. Trust and respect were essential ingredients.…

Explains the status of undergraduate instruction at research institutions in the past half century and discusses effective teaching strategies and methods. Lists components to create a positive teaching climate for instructors. (Contains 28 references.) (YDS)

Attempts to construct an account of how teachers acquire their professional identities as a means to informing professional development. Discusses four significant traditions (craft, scientific, moral, and artistic) in education. Considers implications for practice. (CMK)

This paper examines the partnership established between Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) through the School of Information Systems and the Careers and Employment Office to provide a mentoring program for students in the Graduate Diploma of Library and Information Studies (GDLIS)…

Professional development school (PDS) contexts are increasingly being viewed as powerful sites for the preparation of future teachers in the USA. One of their documented strengths is in the fostering of preservice teachers' inquiry within collaborative frameworks that result from the partnerships between university teacher education programmes and…

Research-based professional development is essential for districts and teachers across the nation that face the challenge of providing a quality education for increasingly diverse student populations. In this study, the researchers surveyed 729 teachers in one midwestern suburban district recently impacted by high numbers of immigrant and refugee…

Following a constructivist view on learning and based on the work of Adey and Shayer a group of teachers and lecturers in geographical education from northeast England developed some successful strategies to stimulate pupils' thinking skills. At the start of this century the ideas reached The Netherlands. This article presents the results of a…

The first part of this paper describes the rationale for and process of engaging student teachers in action research during the fourth and final year of their teacher education, which is also their first year as teachers (induction year). During this year the novice teachers are engaged in an action research project as a compulsory assignment in…

The extensive literature, situated mainly in "first world" contexts, on design and evaluation of distance learning materials, emphasises the importance of student feedback. This paper begins with an account of how two groups of students responded to questions on a text they had used in an inservice professional development programme for teachers…

Recent research emphasizes the context-specific nature of professional knowledge and expertise, implying that developing novel practices in authentic environments is a prerequisite for teachers' professional development. The aim of this study was to find out how teachers develop their practical knowledge and expertise through shared planning and…