The state of Connecticut has mandated ongoing and systematic professional development for the professional staff of each local or regional board of education in the state. The following guidelines were established to aid school districts and boards of education to meet both the mandate and intent of the act with a five-year program of action: (1)…

The field of English as a second language (ESL) has developed rapidly in recent years, but some problems have emerged, including overzealous research on language acquisition, disintegration of classroom practices, and dissolution of common goals by the supposedly competing needs of ESL and EFL (English as a foreign language). Currently popular…

The relevance of research to the role of teachers in classroom observation and appraisal is discussed. Focus is on: (1) the validity of classroom research literature and the credibility of classroom researchers, centering on content, methodology, and audience; (2) the role of research in teacher professionalism and empowerment; and (3) teacher…

The masking of experience as the basis of learning and development is a major limitation of the school-based approach to inservice education. Neither case studies nor the teacher development literature supports the association of professional learning with a specific site, such as the school. On the contrary, locating the study and practice of…

Recent relevant actions by the Coalition of English Associations, selected regional accreditation associations, and five state legislatures, are described in this paper, the purpose of which is to review progress already made--and consider potential for further progress--toward a closer community of scholar-teachers. The paper examines development…

Placements in English departments' internship programs are problematic when writing opportunities lack range and/or depth, but at the same time students often have excellent internship experiences despite limited writing opportunities. An examination of the designs and assumptions of the writing skills internship program in the English Department…

The complete process of initiating and monitoring an evaluation program is presented, noting that the ability to assess the performance of administrators and implement programs to enhance their skills and abilities is essential to the effective management of higher learning institutions. Such field tested resources as evaluation forms, performance…

Nine two-year colleges were visited during an administrative professional development leave from the Community College of Allegheny County. The visits were conducted during summer 1983 to observe and discuss: (1) college programs with business and industry; (2) student development programs; (3) academic and administrative uses of technology; and…

In order to explore the possibility of basing the Ontario Library Association's (OLA's) professional development programming on systematic needs assessment, a pilot project was undertaken to determine the professional development needs of library workers in Ontario and to experiment with the Nominal Group Technique (NGT)--a means of providing for…

The conference described in this paper was designed to provide a meaningful experience for a select group of individuals in strategic positions to have an impact on education policy for the state of Missouri. The report summarizes the scope and purpose the the conference, the conference process, and major issues and recommendations for action,…

The Kansas Internship Assistance/Assessment Model, an effort to bring together assessment and assistance to maximize the professional growth of beginning teachers, is described. The program has two purposes as specified in the Kansas Internship Plan (1987): (1) to assist the first-year teacher (intern) in acquiring or improving teaching knowledge…

New Jersey's first comprehensive plan for the development of child care services is presented in this report. Section I offers an overview of contemporary issues that are central to the provision of child care services. Issues include the status of child care in New Jersey and the concerns raised by parents, advocates, and providers in child care…

This report presents the methods and findings of a study to compile information regarding professional development practices at institutions in the League for Innovation in the Community College, a consortium of 19 community college districts. Following background information on the League, and introductory information on the purposes of and…

The status of recent research on staff development and inservice education for teachers, administrators, and other school personnel was reviewed in studies completed between 1977 and 1984. More than 400 articles from 23 professional journals and 507 doctoral dissertations were analyzed. For each study, the research design and procedures, purposes…

School systems interested in improving teacher performance, effectiveness, and job satisfaction while reducing turnover rates might do better to seek ways to enhance the intrinsic rewards of teaching rather than implement such extrinsic motivators as merit pay plans and career ladders. A review of the research literature brings several important…