Year One of the 3-year Montana Beginning Teacher Support Program (BTSP) was conducted as a pilot study to investigate mentor-mentee pairing functioning under the study parameters as evidenced by a sampling of Montana participants, and to develop a manageable research model to be implemented during the second and third years of the study. The study…

This publication reviews what is known about professional development in elementary and secondary education including its organization, costs, effects on practice, and principles for guiding future professional development programs. Recent reform efforts that have put higher standards in place are examined for their effect on the practice of…

This paper describes how a vice principal at a rural Kentucky elementary school successfully implemented curriculum changes to meet the learning needs of young children. The change process also addressed the concerns of kindergarten teachers frustrated with the demands of teaching basal reader activities that eliminated explorative play and other…

This book describes the initial and continuing professional development of the various teachers and trainers involved in initial vocational training for youth in Italy, Ireland, and Portugal. The book contains separate, but similarly formatted, sections for each country. The following are topics are discussed in all three country reports: initial…

This guide describes a teacher mentor program for special education teachers in the Saint Tammany Parish Public School System, Louisiana. The Special Education Mentor Program provides peer support and professional development opportunities for new special education teachers. The program is intended to give immediate as well as long-term support to…

Learning to use technology can be traumatic for adults. This study is qualitative and based on personal e-mail diaries written by adult learners. It identifies six stages adults may go through as they learn to use technology to communicate electronically. Initially, 30 teachers studying in a post-graduate university course were involved in a…

A study in two El Paso (Texas) elementary school two-way bilingual education programs investigated factors in learning through first and second language, analyzed teacher development in a context of complex change, and identified promising school structures for collaborative professional development for these teachers. Of the 24 participating…

This annotated bibliography lists approximately 650 resources on theory, research, and effective practices for the inclusion of all learners, including those with severe and multiple disabilities, into general education classrooms and other integrated learning environments. The bibliography is organized into eight topics: (1) rationale for…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a federally supported pilot project promoting access to inclusive education for Kansas children with dual sensory impairments. The project focused on developing a system of technical assistance and training to provide education for students with dual sensory impairments in general…

This digest presents recommendations for a staff development program for a multilingual multicultural teaching staff that has been tested and shown to be effective. Effective instruction in bilingual and multicultural schools requires that teachers combine a sophisticated knowledge of subject matter with a wide repertoire of teaching strategies…

Sri Lanka has a literacy rate of 90 percent despite a gross national product per capita of only $584. It has nearly 190,000 teachers of whom 50,000 were recruited between 1985 and 1995, working in 10,000 public schools (primary through college). Following the Hindu and Buddhist traditions of Sri Lanka, teachers are greatly respected and seen as…

This study investigated the success of the Dubuque Community School District (Iowa) in meeting its policy goal for equity and diversity through related policies and practices for staff development, curriculum development, and site-based school initiatives. A survey instrument was developed and pilot tested in collaboration with teachers,…

Based on material developed by the National Institute for Dispute Resolution (NIDR), this practical resource guide shows principals, district administrators, counselors, and teacher educators how to diagnose conflicts, handle difficult confrontations, and implement appropriate mediation and problem-solving strategies. Extensive examples and…

Educators from public schools and universities in 13 southeastern Ohio counties formed the Southeastern Regional Professional Development Center (SERPDC) in 1991 to address the needs of rural teachers for purposeful professional interaction and staff development. In 1992, state funding was provided for the SERPDC center, serving the Appalachian…

The report describes a project designed to meet professional development needs of Pennsylvania's practitioners in adult basic and literacy education by: (1) creating an infrastructure for guiding practitioners through classroom research with support from colleagues; and (2) linking practitioners through telecommunications. The project allowed ten…