Student teachers in an eight-week practicum gained as much teaching sophistication as those in a 16-week program. (MM)

A survey of dentists found that 48 percent supported a mandatory fifth year of dental training. Main reasons for support were the need for more instructional time and need for a transition year. Individual choice, no value in a fifth year, mentoring available elsewhere, and cost were cited in opposition. Differences existed among respondents who…

In this article, the authors compare texts, times, technologies, and trails in mathematics lessons in five European countries (Flanders, England, Finland, Hungary and Spain). They start by discussing the provision and use of textbooks. After this they discuss lesson lengths and their impact on learners. They consider the extent of technology…

The last decade has seen increased interest in various aspects of the UK doctorate. This report brings together issues arising from national policy developments, the doctoral researcher cohort, the diversification of doctoral level provision in the UK and the development of the third cycle in the Bologna process. Through discussions with key…

Alternative scheduling provides community colleges with a means to adapt to declining enrollments and fiscal exigencies, and to respond the demand for accountability to students. Strategies such as departing from traditional semester- or quarter-length courses and developing weekend programs have been implemented at certain institutions to…

The Colorado College Plan was designed to reconstitute the academic calendar so that student and faculty time would be used more productively. Courses are offered one at a time, rather than simultaneously, in nine blocks, each 3 1/2 weeks in length. The fall semester encompasses four of these blocks and the spring semester contains five. Each…

The Independent Study course at Waubonsee Community College is offered for two semester hours of credit, accumulative to a maximum of four semester hours. Students not completing their independent study project in one semester may receive an extension for an additional semester. Analysis of the records of 9l Independent Study enrollees in the…

A study examining state-mandated time requirements for kindergarten through twelfth-grade physical education found a wide span, ranging from impressive commitments to dismally brief time allocations. About 60 percent of states had no guidelines or required fewer than 300 hours for the 13 years of schooling. (CB)

Questions the desirability of providing the same length of vocational education programs for able students and slow learners and of graduating students in one class rather than spacing training programs. (BC)

Business students (n=112) who took either an eight-week or 16-week class were compared on grade point average, completion of multiple-choice homework questions, and test scores. Students in the longer class performed better overall and on the test. Those who consistently completed homework performed better regardless of class length. (SK)

Highlighted in this paper are several hidden costs entailed by mandating that all teachers be prepared through 5 or 6 years of teacher education, with the professional part of that preparation occurring at the graduate level. Four areas where mandating extended preparation may lead to hidden costs are identified: (1) encouraging a focus on…

Proposals in this report would result in greater freedom and flexibility in higher education at less costs and with no loss in quality. The Commission recommends that time required to earn degrees be shortened; that more rewarding alternatives to college be available to youth; and that more opportunities be provided for students to assess…

A comparison of half-day and full-day intervention programs for handicapped preschoolers evaluated students' scores on a developmental inventory and cost data. Results indicated no differences in the educational outcomes associated with length of day and showed that half-day programs served 60 percent more children than full-day programs with the…

This article describes in detail the Math English Science Technology Education Project (MESTEP), a 15-month master's level program to recruit and prepare top college graduates to teach math, science, and English in secondary schools. MESTEP is a partnership among the University of Massachusetts, a network of school systems, and corporations.…