Results of a survey of social studies methods professors regarding educational practices are presented. Questions were asked regarding class size, program interrelationships (position of the course in relation to the sequence in education offerings), course content, teaching methods, instructional materials, and how the methods instructors viewed…

Most British universities accept students conditional upon A-level grades and place little reliance on recommendations. A study of social science undergraduates shows the importance of attitudinal variables and the headmaster's report in predicting success at the university. More attention should be paid to these reports. (IS)

A survey of parents in urban and rural school districts showed a strong belief in the importance of elementary school social studies and more support for innovations such as the curriculum guidelines of the National Council for the Social Studies than publicity about demands to return to basics would suggest. (IS)

Over the past 30 years, welfare and other public programs for poor families have focused increasingly on promoting parents' self-sufficiency by requiring and supporting employment. Evidence from a diverse set of random-assignment experiments now reveals some of the conditions under which promoting work among low-income, single parents helps or…

These articles and essays offer viewpoints from practitioners and researchers who are doing and using research for the advancement of education. Articles include: (1) The Promise of Scientific Evidence in Education (Steven Nelson); (2) A New Day for Mathematics Education? (Denise Jarrett Weeks); (3) A Tale of Two Schools: Reading Instruction in…

In Chapter Five, Alisa Belzer, Cassandra Drennon and Cristine Smith provide an overview of the challenges facing state-level professional development systems. The authors begin the chapter with a brief history of professional development in adult basic education, noting shifts in the funding and priority of professional development in the field.…

Does homework work? Homework is the cause of more friction between school and home than any other aspect of education and becomes the prime battlefield when schools, families, and communities view one another as adversaries. This comprehensive third edition tackles all the tough questions: What's the right amount of homework? What role should…

There has been a worldwide growth of interest among governments and international agencies in cross-national studies of the quality of education. However, such studies require careful planning, and have far-reaching implications for all concerned. Ministries of education should only become involved if they are prepared to actively engage in…

Students learn at varying rates, and if a misconception in mathematics develops early, it may be carried from year to year and obstruct a student's progress. To identify fallacies in students' preconceived ideas, "Uncovering Student Thinking in Mathematics" offers educators a powerful diagnostic technique in the form of field-tested assessment…

The U.S. Department of Education set the following six goals as measures of their annual performance: (1) Creation of a Culture of Achievement; (2) Improvement of Student Achievement; (3) Development Safe Schools and Strong Character; (4) Transformation of Education into an Evidence-Based Field; (5) Enhancement of the Quality of and Access to…

Very little empirical research has examined mathematics education in rural schools and communities. A modest non-research literature, however, does exist, and this study analyzed it and found three themes describing the prescriptions given to rural mathematics educators: (1) mathematics education in rural schools needs to be fixed; (2) good things…

In Nepal, Girls' and Women's Education Initiative and the Girls' and Women's Education Policy Research Activity (GWE-PRA) investigated the impact of women's integrated literacy programs in the country's development by examining measures of socio-economic status, as well as indicators of women's social and economic development, including" (1)…

A study investigated the effects of a fine arts program on elementary school students relative to methods used, student development, student attitudes toward school, and student achievement and motivation to learn. After developing and implementing a 12-week integrated fine arts curriculum, 95 elementary school students' pre- and…

This report presents a blueprint for attracting, developing, and retaining skilled and diverse teachers who effectively increase the achievement of all of Virginia's students. The five recommendations are to: (1) develop a comprehensive database to support Virginia's commitment to teacher quality; (2) expand recruitment initiatives to attract…

This paper reviews research about the use of technology with students with disabilities to enhance behavior, monitor progress, and improve learning. It also provides helpful references for teacher educators. The belief that the appropriate use of technology can enhance learning for all students is reflected in different standards for teacher…