Discusses six suggestions to support teachers and administrators who experiment with different ways of meeting a diversity of learning needs: curricular congruence, special education teacher as team teacher, volunteers and paraprofessionals, instructional resources, class size, and staff development. Discusses why such support is vital. (SR)

A survey of 1,267 executives, mid-level managers, and supervisors in a wide variety of industries found strong shared preferences about the length, size, and format of professional seminars, and also revealed some differences in preference according to managerial level. Implications for design and marketing of seminars to the business community…

Presents reviews and abstracts of 11 articles that examine the following topics: math education, school accountability, instructional improvement, linkage problems between secondary and postsecondary education, the connection between learning-related social skills and academic outcomes, class size, school restructuring, support services for…

Discusses results of interviews with five university teacher education professors that asked about their first-time experiences offering online courses. Recommends four categories for improvements: preparation, including a good introductory Web page for students; structure, including promoting interactivity by limiting class size and using…

Reports on efforts of two professors to counter the adverse effects of large survey classes. Data are presented concerning their efforts to encourage students to formulate and hand in written spontaneous questions concerning material presented in the lectures. Suggests that this procedure stimulates critical thinking by both instructor and…

A simple algebraic model relating the mean achievement in a class to the students' ability range is presented. Agreement between the model and data on the relationship between mean achievement and class size is described. Data concerning opinions of 15 primary school through university teachers quantitatively support the model. (TJH)

An Association of American Colleges report recommends changes to strengthen undergraduate instruction, urging academic departments to (1) consider how courses in a major relate to each other and to outside courses and (2) structure majors so students can build on their knowledge, tying it together in a final senior experience. (MSE)

Although costs inhibit large-scale change, many large institutions are moving toward improvements in undergraduate education, with some imitating some aspects of small colleges. Reduced class and section sizes, elaborate orientations, special freshman groups, and courses in which faculty share cutting-edge research with freshmen and sophomores are…

Tennessee's four-year Project STAR provided one-third class size reduction in early elementary school. Small class students in all types of schools scored significantly higher than regular class students in reading and math. The article discusses lessons learned and cost-effective ways to reduce class size. (SM)

Researchers followed up on fourth graders from Project STAR, a reduced class size experiment. Using norm and criterion-referenced achievement tests and teacher ratings of student effort, initiative, and behavior, they found significant small class carry-over effects on every achievement measure and significant participation differences in small…

Ways that good or successful Japanese learners of English develop their language skills in spite of large class size are examined, based on a study of 28 graduate students at a Japanese university. Analysis of responses about exam preparation, teacher role, listening, etc., suggest a need for more research on language learning strategies in…

Studies the availability of writing programs at 2-year colleges. Reports that virtually all of the 236 schools that replied to a survey offer composition and most offer such courses as basic and creative writing. States that fewer schools offer advanced or sophomore composition. Concludes that both class sizes and teaching loads exceed…

This study examined the effects on, and contribution of, input and process factors on student achievement in Louisiana public schools. Socioeconomic and minority status strongly predicted school achievement. Discrepancy between white and African-American students' achievement increased with grade level. Student attendance substantially affected…

Investigated the perceptions that traditional student teachers and emergency-permit teachers held regarding their experiences during their semester of student teaching. Data from student surveys indicated that most students from both groups were satisfied with, and successfully culminated, their field experiences. Both groups reported many…

Examines the origins of Tennessee's Project Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) and explores what it was about Tennessee in the mid-1980s that fostered the development of this experimental approach to class size. Highlights the connection between the research world and the political world that resulted in the STAR project. (SLD)