Educators of graduate students of English who are simultaneously teaching undergraduate composition courses should focus on how the study of institutional history might shed light on contemporary praxis. The Cultural and Critical Studies Ph.D. Program in the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) English Department combines an innovative approach…

An important goal of health education is to change behavior by increasing knowledge, but current theory has not been able to account for the actual health behavior of adolescents. Theoretical and empirical work has been focused on explaining individual health behaviors: for example, risky adolescent behaviors such as drinking, smoking, drug use,…

This paper offers some reflections concerning the university as an institution today and in the future particularly in the developing nations. The discussion starts with a look at the double meaning of the word "administer." Taken internally "administer" relates to the organization of the university. Taken externally, "administer" refers to…

A study examined the program planning steps used by trainers on the job and the differences between the identified planning steps and the program planning models outlined in the adult education literature. Training managers from five corporations with headquarters in the Pittsburgh area were interviewed, and supporting documents about each…

This book provides a collection of interrelated essays on language for teachers concerned with first and second language acquisition, non-standard English, the teaching of grammar, language change, and the attainment of literacy. A problem-oriented text, the book presents the various controversies surrounding each language area, offering competing…

Recent graduates of College Student Personnel programs from five universities were surveyed on their job search process, reasons for choosing their current job, their experiences with institutional policies, and ethical and political situations they encountered as new professionals. The results indicated that between 26% and 44% of these new…

Intended as a guide for both novice and experienced researchers, this collection of articles focuses on single-subject experimental research used for investigations in literacy. The premise of the collection is that this single-subject approach allows researchers--both those from outside the classroom and teacher-researchers--to discover how an…

This paper describes an ongoing case study of how a group of teachers are becoming researchers and what this means for their classrooms and the professional development school where they work. A collaborative teacher development program was implemented in Dickinson Elementary School of Albuquerque (New Mexico) which serves a mobile and mixed…

Noting that recent changes in philosophy and classroom practices in teaching reading and writing have had a major impact on language arts instruction and have caused concern among some parents and teachers, this position paper urges a balanced approach that meets the needs of the children as well as the concerns of the community. An overview of a…

From the 1960s to the present, the complexion of educational administration has changed greatly. One reason is growing public demand for input into educational decision-making; other factors are found in accountability, evaluation, opportunities for women, human rights, teacher militancy and collective bargaining agreements, changing enrollment…

This paper argues that productive reform in teacher education must comprise the development of a rigorous practical pedagogy. The theoretical element of teacher education courses and practical teaching are incompatible because research looks at the way teaching is rather than the way teaching should be, and because teaching is viewed as comprising…

Responding to the increasing demand for the assessment of authentic language use, this book emphasizes that portfolios must first be useful and successful as part of instruction before they can be used effectively for assessment. Portfolios are presented in the book as working (not "show" portfolios) to promote the student's involvement…

The "whole language approach" has generated much controversy among educators, who have agreed on the importance of language in the early years but have not reached consensus on the most effective approach to employ. Whole language is viewed as a developmental process. Research, conducted since the mid-1980s, has shown that whole language is an…

Some of the essential elements of educational partnerships and what it takes for these associations to succeed are presented. The brief opens by describing the growing trend of companies working in partnership with one another to improve education by sharing expertise, leveraging limited resources, broadening markets, and tackling complex issues.…

Constructivist theory asserts that children learn through interaction with and adaptation to their environment. Social constructivism emphasizes social interaction in learning, particularly language and the use of language in interaction between the student and his peers or an adult. This paper discusses the relevance of social constructivism,…