As the need to train more teachers to work in inclusive classrooms increases, college instructors should identify and implement course assessments measuring their effectiveness in training practices. Skills in managing the challenging behaviors of students with disabilities, such as autism and emotional disturbances are important for teachers…

The shortage of special education teachers has prompted the creation of alternative certification programs. The effectiveness of the University of Memphis's (U of M's) 14-year-old alternative Special Education Institute program in preparing teachers to teach and remain in the field was examined. The program was compared to the U of M's traditional…

The 2010 update to the resource you have been waiting for to help you prepare to take the National School Nurse Certification Exam. Dr. Janice Selekman DNSc, RN, NCSN, a recognized expert in pediatric nursing, and NASN Past President Linda C. Wolfe MEd, BSN, RN, NCSN, FNASN are the authors. This text was created in response to many years of…

This article provides a case of how changes in standards for principal certification--as required by the State Board of Educator Certification since its establishment in 1995--were meant to promote changes in principal preparation programs in the state of Texas. The examination considers whether the changes were significant in terms of intended…

A recent move in the effort to professionalize teaching has been a call for a professional designation for teachers in some Canadian jurisdictions. While teacher certification or licensure seeks to protect public interest and is concerned about professionalism--the quality of teachers' work--professional designation is concerned with public…

In order to address the issue of persistent teacher shortages, urban districts increasingly rely on alternatively licensed teachers who are often viewed as well-suited to work in urban areas because of their greater age, life and work experiences, and understanding of diverse communities. Yet, research on the retention of these teachers remains…

As traditional universities grapple with an onslaught of demand for distance education a recurring call to ensure quality in such offerings arises. The Quality Matters Program intends to guarantee such quality through a peer-centered process and offers a certification process to help assure quality in online and blended courses. This report is a…

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, sponsored by the IRS, offers free tax services for individuals with low-to-moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and/or those who lack English language proficiency. Although established by the IRS in 1969, it is administered by partnering community based volunteer organizations throughout U.S.,…

Adult learning and open education have become key elements on the European Agenda. This paper presents the first results of a foresight activity that aims to contribute to an understanding of how "Opening up Education" can improve adult learning in Europe in the future. It argues that to open up adult learning two main challenges must be…

The middle-grades program at a state university recently underwent a program redesign in an effort to ensure that teacher candidates are well prepared to teach in today's contemporary middle schools while maintaining the principles and standards established by the Association of Middle Level Educators. The purpose of this article is to explain the…

This article reviews the relevant literature in regard to differentiation, multiple intelligences, and aesthetic representations. Next, it presents the methodology, reports findings, and discusses themes related to the authors' research questions. Finally, it concludes that tapping into students' multiple intelligence strength(s) is an excellent…

The assessment of vocational workplace-based qualifications in England relies on human assessors (raters). These assessors observe naturally occurring, non-standardised evidence, unique to each learner and evaluate the learner as competent/not yet competent against content standards. Whilst these are considered difficult to measure, this study…

This qualitative case study examines the perspectives of nine exemplary graduates of one Education Service Center's Alternative Teacher Certification program (ACP) to determine factors contributing to their smooth transition into the field of education and their rapid success as a classroom teacher. Data were collected through interviews and…

Regular education teachers' self-efficacy may be negatively impacted due to a lack of professional development and experience teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Research links teacher self-efficacy with increased student academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine to what degree training on ASD during and…

A continued loss of teachers from the already limited supply of those entering the field is likely to create a teacher shortage as student populations continue to rise. Because the supply of teachers does not meet the demand, it is necessary to consider the reasons that teachers leave the profession. The problem addressed in this research study…