A general analysis of professional development school (PDS) efforts indicates that, overall, the partnership efforts that were studied devote significantly less attention to ideas about the nature of schools, learning, teaching, the knowledge base for teaching, and teacher learning and professional development than they devote to establishing…

The impact of school-agency partnerships on the professional development of the agency personnel working with teachers on partnership teams was examined in a qualitative study of 18 of 157 natural resources, business, and health care agency professionals identified as having participated in elementary school-based partnerships for 1-6 years in a…

This report summarizes the Engineering Curriculum Transformation Project (ECTP) instituted at the University of Maryland during the 1995-1996 academic year. This initiative focused on facilitating the development of engineering course curricula based on diverse learning styles, more inclusive examples, and the incorporation of diversity and…

This paper describes how a restructured and redesigned teacher training program at West Virginia University utilizes a strand approach to integrate special education learning outcomes into the 15 core courses required of all student teachers. Key elements of the new teacher training program include: a clear set of research-based program goals;…

This book presents a series of conference papers dealing with educational technology. The papers are: "The Role of Educational Technology in Upgrading Teacher Education in Pakistan" (M. Hashim Abbasi and Alex C. Millar); "Report on the Teaching and Learning on the Internet Project--RMIT TAFE" (Laurie Armstrong); "A…

This paper outlines a joint Asian Bank/Pakistan Ministry of Education project designed to upgrade the state of teacher education and to improve the quality, status, and professional self-esteem of Pakistan's teachers. The main strategies identified by the Project for priority attention include: structural changes through the creation of four new…

Collaboration between public schools and universities through implementation of professional development schools may be central to any effort to improve education in an increasingly complex society. Chicago State University (Illinois), in conjunction with a cadre of stake holders from Chicago Public Schools, implemented a professional development…

This study was designed to see how six teachers, who had experience with educational change, dealt with particular curriculum mandated reforms in the province of Ontario (Canada). Teachers were asked to reflect and comment on their experiences implementing "The Common Curriculum, Policies and Outcomes, Grades 1 to 9, 1995," an initiative…

This report uses case illustrations to present ten policy issues concerning inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood education programs. Policy issues were identified from interviews with over 150 families, teachers, and district and state education agency administrators, as well as through many classroom observations. An…

An effort to reform teacher professional development is on a parallel course with the statewide academic standards and assessment system stipulated by the State of Washington's School Improvement Act (House Bill 1209). Five college/university and school district partnerships have been commissioned to develop and field test a new performance-based…

During 1993-94 the educational administration faculty at the University of Manitoba (Canada) became involved in a self-study process to examine issues of equality and inclusivity in relation to the masters program. This paper describes an elective course for students enrolled in the Educational Administration Master's Program at the University of…

As part of the Jacksonville Urban Education Partnership (JUEP) at the University of North Florida, a CD-ROM disc designed to assist preservice teachers in the preparation of their portfolios was developed and tested. With the help of the disc, 45 preservice teachers developed portfolios as a tool for reflection and for evaluation of skill and…

Jessup Elementary School (Maryland), Towson State University (TSU) (Maryland), and Anne Arundel Community College (Maryland) have joined in a effort to change the notion of partnership in professional development schools (PDSs). The focus is not only the preparation of early childhood teachers but also the professional development of faculty and…

This paper describes a Goals 2000 project intended to redesign preservice teacher education, practicing teacher roles, and student learning experiences within a Professional Development School framework. The team includes teaching faculty from the University of Akron (Ohio) College of Education Department of Curricular and Instructional Studies,…

School culture has recently emerged as a framework for the study and interpretation of the structure and development of schools. This paper reviews a work culture productivity model and reports the development of a culture instrument. The use of second-order component analysis shows areas of generalization across primary factors. The School Work…