Compared traditional teacher certification program graduates with those completing an alternative certification program, examining behavioral and teaching practice differences, the effects on their students' achievement, and their perceptions of their own teaching abilities. Data from observations, interviews, and students' achievement scores…

The Institute of Correspondence Education (ICE) of the University of Madras (India) is highly cost-effective when compared to the conventional system. The fact that a major portion of the cost is recoverable in student fees makes the ICE system more economical; however, the requisite level of resources has not been allocated for student-support…

Describes Mat-Su Alternative School (Wasilla, Alaska), which accepts dropouts age 15 to 21. School features include informal environment; small class size; comfortable teacher/student relationships; unconventional projects to engage student interest; parenting classes, day care for students' children, and other student support services; and…

Using ethnographic techniques, this article explores the complex interaction of control and caring in two alternative education programs for students resisting traditional schooling in Cincinnati (Ohio) Public Schools, a predominantly low-income, African-American urban school district. A community-based orientation for staff proves essential in…

Presents a Web-based learning system designed for students to practice independently the fundamentals of mathematics, in which the system generates problems that the learner selects. Outlines the system's procedures as well as its advantages and drawbacks. (KS)

Presents six research abstracts from the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database. Topics include: effectiveness of distance versus traditional on-campus education; improved attribution recall from diversification of environmental context during computer-based instruction; qualitative analysis of situated Web-based learning;…

The story of a charter school closure is told from the perspectives of students, parents, teachers, and community members, who felt that the sponsoring district revoked the charter for political reasons despite broad local support. The experience underscores the necessity of publicly subjecting the relationship of the public school system and the…

Discusses a computerized cost-simulation model, BRIDGE, designed to compare the cost of expanding a campus using distance instruction to that of classroom instruction. Discusses cost comparison examples from classroom, television/broadcast, and asynchronous network courses. The model also demonstrates the cost-saving potential of sharing courses…

An alternative high school program operates at a shopping center in Northern Virginia. Landmark Career Academy is a partnership between the Fairfax County Schools, a private organization that helps fund school-to-work programs, and Landmark Mall. So far, academy students are earning better grades than they did in their traditional high school…

Provides a concise overview of the working conditions and challenges faced by independent music teachers (IMT). Most IMTs function in a number of capacities, as performer, teacher, and entrepreneur. Discusses changing trends in employment, including computer technology and the move for national certification. (MJP)

Outlines four categories of "prior" questions to consider before embarking on a distance learning program: "Everyone is doing it"; "The promise of income"; "Computers and networks"; and "Potential students." Identifies other questions that focus on types of individual needs and how they are being met; options that could be made available; problems…

Proposes a model for transforming equivalency in education from a unit of measurement focused on time in the classroom to one focused on learner achievement. While allowing time and location to vary across courses and academic programs, the Capabilities Based Educational Equivalency (CBEE) Units model permits the valid comparison of student…

Our increasingly hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and intense economic pressures place stress on children and families. Waldorf education provides an educational environment that alleviates this stress through a connective pedagogy that encompasses continuity of people, curriculum, and instruction; a reverence and respect for the…

Contends that online courses enrich and extend the core curriculum, and inherently support the acquisition of Internet-related skills. States that quality threaded discussions are the single most critical aspect of online education--they support interactive conversations that help students analyze, synthesize and evaluate in response to questions…

Notetaking and note reviewing appear to increase learning from conventional instruction. An experiment on notetaking with interactive videodisk (IVD) did not mirror these findings. With the IVD lesson, no statistically significant effects were associated with notetaking or reviewing, either conventional or matrix notes. (AEF)