Presents and discusses the common threads woven into the recommendations for educational reform from the major reports published since 1972. An examination of their conclusions and recommendations for change suggests areas to be considered for reform efforts. (Author/MLF)

Describes one county's approach to juvenile justice education. The program's goal is to develop and maintain an efficient, effective education for troubled youth based on the concepts of dignity, respect, and self-esteem. Discusses the target population, program methods, staff requirements and training, obstacles, and success indicators. (RJM)

Discusses educational benefits of the Internet and what schools are doing to integrate technology into the middle- and high-school curriculum. Reviews pitfalls of technology integration, initiation and implementation tips for administrators, program-evaluation strategies, and censorship issues. The Internet brings immediacy and individualization…

Reports on projects in British Universities which have focused on open learning. Establishes the main features of the learning environments created; results of the case study innovations; and management of change issues and how these may be addressed. A table presents details of the studies. (AEF)

Investigates the effect of camera angle and monitor placement in a distance learning environment where a videotape of a lecture was used. Results suggest that an eye-level camera and multiple monitors with groups of 4-5 students positively influence instructor credibility, immediacy, and interactions. (AEF)

Examines the history of the Houston Law School (Texas), a part-time night school that operated from 1919-1945 and was part of a brief period of ascendence for proprietary law schools. Discusses its competition with another institution, shifts in standards and enrollments, and other factors leading to its decline. Notes parallels between this…

The effects of prior knowledge and progress assessment on learning behaviors and motivation were studied in the context of self-study by students at the Open University of the Netherlands. Results with 1,482 adult students show their positive appreciation of assessments for student support but less appreciation of feedback received by mail. (SLD)

Discusses the Gateway Program at New Jersey's Rutgers University, in which departments administer their own developmental classes. Describes reasons for the program's success, including small class sizes, providing students with gradual increases in autonomy, frequent assessment and feedback, and teaching strategies that require participation.…

Compares the ways teaching material is designed in two European distance universities, the German FernUniversitaet (a classical university operating at a distance) and the Dutch Open Universiteit (an open/flexible institution). Outlines the pedagogical and methodological issues involved and shows how institutional constraints have affected…

Synthesizes research on the work of charter school teachers, juxtaposing it with case studies of teachers in six urban elementary charter schools. Charter schools, with increased autonomy over personnel and budget, were free to make decisions regarding hiring, salary, and working conditions. Charter teachers worked longer hours with less job…

This paper examines ways to evaluate the potential efficacy of educational innovations and offers strategies for assessing the potential success of borrowing ideas or practices from another setting. Also examines an alternative school system, the Waldorf Schools, and discusses how to move between contextual frameworks and become aware of aesthetic…

This "quasi-conclusion" is a patchwork of comments and claims about the nature and larger implications of "patchworking" from the preceding articles in this special issue on the Patchwork Text process, and from the records of discussions which the team of researchers held over the nearly three years of the project. (Author/AEF)

Examines relationships between student personality and choice of traditional on-campus or online college classes. Data show differences in personality, age, and computer experience between online and on-campus students and help to elucidate characteristics of students selecting the online venue for college classes and/or curricula. Results are…

Begins with a brief overview of the origins of constructivist thinking among the philosophers and the major forms of constructivism. Continues with definitions and descriptions of models of constructivist classrooms and teams. And concludes with a comparison of constructivist and traditional approaches to learning. (Contains 27 references.) (WFA)

Describes the experience of two Montessori teachers working together to develop a Montessori charter school in Florida serving children from preschool through sixth grade. Focuses on the proposal submission, the importance of key state level supporters, documentation of their preparation, and proof of the financial ability to start the school.…