In Australia, the 1987 Dawkins green paper supposedly set clear guidelines for merging institutions in the new unified national system. There was little government guidance in merger efforts. Now there are three universities--planners' least-preferred option. All offer postgraduate management education. The Dawkins paper has minimally influenced…

Offers a new model for addressing issues of providing access to lifelong continuous learning and personal knowledge management. The full spectrum of component functions and costs within traditional education systems are being unbundled so as to allow separate functions to be selectively retained and redesigned independently, then reconfigured,…

Addresses the need for careful planning and discernment when adopting new educational technology to ensure gains in student performance and to achieve learning goals. Topics include focusing on philosophical commitments and program purposes; challenging claims; testing; reviewing previous experiences; evaluating; and slowing down the purchase and…

Reviews the status of classroom assessment, focusing on the review of four key research summaries that describe the dismal state of classroom assessment in the past century. Cites four important developments as reasons for optimism about the future of classroom assessment and details a five-part action plan for achieving the untapped potential of…

In Taiwan, the Ministry of Education controls the number of students who are allowed to attend all institutions of higher education. Presents evidence that this control, rather than changes in relative demand for workers with higher education, was the more important factor causing changes in the relative wages of these workers between 1978 and…

Discussion of integrating technology into elementary school classrooms focuses on teacher training that is based on a three-year plan developed at an elementary school in Marathon, New York. Describes the role of a technology teacher who facilitates technology integration by running the computer lab, offering workshops, and developing inservice…

Provides information on linking technology with middle school programs and philosophy, drawing on the experiences of a Missouri middle school during the process of technology purchasing and implementation. Explores: (1) curriculum and instruction; (2) information and media services; (3) administration; (4) staff development; (5) developing a plan;…

Contends that Illinois was able to develop a cohesive and progressive approach to two-year postsecondary education because of visionary and cooperative efforts made during the decades immediately following World War II. Traces the system's history through the present, describes the current financing arrangements, and reports on proposals for the…

Explains the AN-MSI (Advanced Networking with Minority Serving Institutions), an alliance of minority-serving institutions that are working together to reach information technology (IT) parity. Describes partnerships that have been formed to support four main activities: assisting campus leadership in IT planning, network technologies, Internet…

Traces evolution of rural-school education plan in Colombia (Escuela Nueva), focusing on importance of Colombia's changing political and social climate in policy development. Identifies three phases of reform development and implementation: grassroots, formalized, and decoupled. Uses Escuela Nueva to demonstrate importance of recognizing dynamic,…

This longitudinal study of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders builds on the research of Solorzano, who examined Ogbu's caste theory of educational attainment. When gender, socioeconomic status, locus of control, parental college aspirations, and academic achievement were controlled, this study found that African American youths' level of educational…

Proposes that results-based comprehensive guidance and counseling programs provide school counseling a framework within which the field can define itself as well as react effectively in response to trends. Explicates the interrelated structure between a comprehensive program, effective school environments, and the promotion of successful…

This article describes the process of theoretical reflection that preceded the development and empirical verification of a model of "effective school improvement". The focus is on basic mechanisms that could be seen as underlying "getting things in motion" and change in education systems. Four mechanisms are distinguished:…

In this paper we discuss findings from evaluations we conducted and share lessons we learned as developers of online education during the last 10 years. The purpose is to analyse some of the complexities in the design of online communities for professional development and continuing education. We present STAR-Online (Supporting Teachers with…

When the US' governors gather in Washington this February 2005 for what is billed as a national education summit on high schools, many will come prepared to talk about initiatives already under way back home. The summit's organizers hope that an "action agenda"--coupled with intensive planning leading up to the meeting--will encourage state…