Inter-institutional collaboration and team teaching can enhance distance education. Of particular interest to those who are new to distance education or collaborative relationships, this article discusses several issues that should be considered in the planning process to avoid potential roadblocks and to maximize returns. (Author/AEF)

Major issues in the Israeli educational system (diversity, multiple languages, religious education, technology, and teacher education) transcend national borders. Israelis are experiencing and struggling with the same curriculum and assessment issues as the United States, but are unhampered by restrictive, often inappropriate accountability…

An interview with Summerhill School's head describes how the independent boarding school challenged the British government's demands that it give compulsory lessons. A settlement required the school's philosophy to govern the government's approach to the school; recognized the pupils' voice in evaluations of the school; and acknowledged that…

Schools attempting to transform themselves by adopting desirable characteristics generally fail because they have skipped a long, difficult self-discovery process involved in becoming effective schools. Leadership may be as simple as knowing oneself, envisioning alternative realities, being persistent, and building everyday relationships. (MLH)

Highlights studies confirming earlier research that telecourses are as effective as face-to-face instruction. Notes studies that show no statistically significant difference between the two modes of instruction; gaps in research studies; comparative studies; and use of simulation studies. (AEF)

Based on work by Howard Gardner and James Comer, this article discusses the importance of creating and maintaining community-based relationships as part of community-based education. Students go beyond basic core academics and develop values and the freedom to uncover and resolve community problems or concerns. (MLH)

Surveyed traditional and charter school teachers to determine their perceptions of the teacher's role, the teaching and learning processes, and teacher empowerment. Results indicated that there were some differences, but the two groups had more in common than not. Charter school teachers did not have deeper involvement in curricular decision…

An urban New Jersey district changed its high-school suspension policy, giving chronically tardy students administrative detention. Suspensions have been halved, and more students are graduating. Other successful programs include peer mediation and an alternative-education/tutoring program for disaffected middle-schoolers. (MLH)

Examined the nature of culture change that occurred at an alternative continuation high school for at-risk students (n=116) and changes in student attitudes over 2 years. Quantitative and qualitative data show the effectiveness of the school's Team Learning Projects model and the school's restructuring program. (SLD)

Examines the evolution of open distance learning (ODL) in the United Kingdom, particularly in relation to traditional universities and to recent developments in telematics. Argues that a major test of the new technologies in distance education will be their capacity to support real academic communities, allowing the university to maintain the best…

Reports on the Multimedia and Literature Teaching and Learning Project which explored the potential of multimedia and hypermedia for enhancing the response-based teaching and learning of literature. Results suggest that hypermedia can support unique and important responses, but only within compatible classroom cultures. (Author/AEF)

Discusses the problems in attempting to focus learning more upon the student in a module which introduces business computing in the University of Luton's (England) undergraduate program. Concludes that students, university management and academic staff have reasons to resist greater openness in learning, and that continued rapid change in a…

The simplicity activist defines voluntary simplicity as critical thinking and discusses its relationship to the environment, consumerism, excessive wealth, alternative education, and democracy. Voluntary simplicity involves discovering what matters, and study circles allow small groups of people to explore an "examined life." Contains…

Since home is the most unequal environment in education, school should be an arena of equity. Alternative education can catalyze America's unrealized hopes by helping poor, discouraged youngsters overcome their most debilitating handicaps: rampant pessimism, failure to trust in effort, and mistrust of societal institutions. Doing nothing is not an…

The Consortium Interactive Research on Collaborative Learning Environments (CIRCLE) project was designed to develop a model of four-way collaborative distance learning that places relatively small demands on university technological resources. Results of trials indicated that interaction over high bandwidth video channels worked well with little…