Researchers conducted lengthy face-to-face interviews with 17 of the 21 faculty members who had been at Kensington School (Missouri) during its first 2 years (1964-1966), when the elementary school was at its most innovative. The interviews covered the former faculty members' perceptions of the Kensington experience, the effects of Kensington on…

American schools and universities are using an educational process that was originally developed before the introduction of movable type. Despite recurrent predictions that education was about to be revolutionized by the many developments in communications technology that have occurred since Gutenberg's day, groups of students still cluster around…

In the first of this presentation's two parts, an attempt is made to clarify the meaning of constructivist education, an approach based on a theory which explains learning as a process of construction from within the individual, rather than one of internalization or absorption from the environment. In the second part, a personal view of why…

Information on undertaking an external degree program to obtain a college education is presented. An external degree program is one that has no, or minimal requirements for residence (on-campus attendance). Most often it can be entered at any time of the year and usually grants credit for documented learning already acquired. An external degree…

Utilizing the experience of the library of California State University (CSU), Chico in servicing off-campus students who receive instruction via a two-way audio and one-way video communication network called the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS), this paper examines the role that extended campus library services can play in the process…

A study examined the nontraditional adult vocational education practices and programs in Oklahoma that were designed to overcome one or more of the barriers to adult enrollment and increase the number of adult participants in vocational education. Following a mail survey to all adult vocational education institutions in Oklahoma, researchers…

This essay serves as an introduction to a group of papers addressing different issues involved in developing a suitable definition of educational adequacy. After characterizing the congressional mandate underlying this series of reports, identifying the fields represented by the reports' authors, and describing the specific questions these…

The paper describes the evolution of a special education delivery sytem in a Montgomery, New Jersey township. It is pointed out that the project's first year focused in preparing teaching, administrative, and Child Study Team members for project participation through meetings and newsletters. Noted are two goals which emerged from meeting…

Positive alternatives to disciplinary exclusion of behaviorally disordered children and youth are examined. Chapter 1 defines disciplinary exclusion and reviews its legal status. Chapter 2 describes common exclusionary practices (in-school suspension, continuous suspension, shortened school day, homebound instruction, alternative school placement,…

This paper reports on a needs assessment undertaken as preparation for implementing Instructional Television Fixed System (ITFS) in the Denver metropolitan area as one solution to the problems of broadening access to and improving learning experiences offered by colleges and universities. An introduction describes problems of access to…

In the 1982-83 school year, the Cincinnati Public Schools operated 21 alternative programs designed to provide specialized learning experiences along with the traditional academic curricula. Since balanced racial composition is a primary goal of these programs, applications are received from students regardless of where they reside in Cincinnati,…

Almost 14,000 students in the Cincinnati Public Schools attended alternative programs during the 1983-84 year. These voluntary programs were designed to create racially balanced schools and to provide specialized learning experiences along with traditional academic curriculum. Acceptance to the programs is based primarily on racial balance, but…

Authors presented a detailed example of users actively and successfully involved in the planning of an alternative school by means of a unique planning process. Their planning model is one which can be readily adapted to other settings and interest groups. (Editor/RK)

A description and assessment, by the first principal of a newly formed community school in New York City, of the struggle to implement structural, administrative, and programmatic innovations with a special focus on the parent school relationship. (EH)

Innovative programs in American schools for young children are discussed under four main categories: programmed approaches, the Free Schools movement, activity-centered approaches, and increased parent involvement. (CS)