Reports on research that investigates the effect of teachers' sociological understanding of science on their design and implementation of curriculum innovations. Contains 26 references. (DDR)

Describes a five-year project in which British Columbia secondary teachers and university educators met regularly to discuss teaching and learning. Analyzes substantive features of group deliberations, group dynamics, and participant communication. Discusses "community of inquiry" features: sharing of knowledge, support in knowledge…

Compares the results of questionnaires given to medical school faculty in 1975 and 1995. Among the educational topics highly ranked in the results of both surveys are communication skills, verbal questioning techniques, lecturing skills, group discussion skills, and skills in evaluating student performance. (DDR)

Describes an inservice training course for science teachers that is based on the view that most issues of classroom practice are issues of pedagogy, methodology, and subject knowledge. Teachers selected issues of direct concern to their daily work, performed research by methods of action research, analyzed their findings, took appropriate action,…

Reviews research that supports the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future's analysis and recommendations on elementary and secondary school reform. It describes the research and programmatic work needed to test the policy hypothesis offered by the commission's report to move the field of educational reform forward in the areas of…

Explores the political and historical origins of the new qualification for headteachers, the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). Discusses several characteristics of the program: conceptual pluralism, separation of leadership from management, emphasis on process and practical application, separation of the training and…

Users Council has proven itself to be a critically important element in the Online Computer Library Center's (OCLC) organizational structure. In fulfilling its combined roles, Users Council has provided a national forum for articulating member library interests to OCLC as well as a training ground for preparing individuals with library expertise…

Examines the influence of the contradictory interaction of the teacher's actual self (personality and behavior), reflected self (anticipated assessment of others), creative self (contains what the individual may reveal in the future), and empirical self (everyday self-awareness) on the dynamics of professional development. The sample contains 135…

A telephone survey examined self-reported training needs of 90 advisors to self-advocacy groups for people with mental retardation. Major findings addressed desired training topics, preferred training formats, hours and frequency of training, how training needs change, and differences in training based on advisor demographic data. Analysis…

Presents insights gained from collaboratively designing and implementing a comprehensive evaluation system for a coalition of professional development schools. Highlights structural and governance changes and lessons learned about interpersonal processes and curricular reform. Greater understanding among partners occurred, but programmatic…

A study compared resources and supports expressed as being available and in need of change among 39 Swedish teachers with pupils in integrated and segregated school environments in relation to inclusion. Regardless of educational setting, teachers perceived strong needs for regular and ongoing inservice training and access to university courses.…

A survey of 63 educational interpreters employed in two rural states, found only 10 interpreters had completed interpreter preparation programs, with 5 of these having no course work related to education. The mean score of 43 assessed using the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment was 2.6, below the level of "coherent". (Contains…

Discussion of professional development among academic staff focuses on a collaborative project between a lecturer and a subject specialist to develop learning materials for a new distance education course at the University of Queensland. Highlights include existing models of professional development; the needs-based component; and the action…

The benefits that accrued to 14 agriculturalists as they performed evaluators' roles on a team examining water quality demonstration projects were studied. Results suggest that collaboration between the agriculturalists and evaluators strengthened study recommendations and were personally and professionally rewarding to the participating…

Central office administrators' key roles in middle-level school reform include capturing and communicating a vision for change; providing consistent, high-quality professional development for teachers, principals, and parents; and directing an ongoing communication or public relations program. A sidebar lists 12 conditions for running effective…