A study documented factors associated with the operation of vocational education and training (VET) in small rural schools and their communities. Case studies of 14 schools with high-quality VET practices identified important facilitators of course development: formal commitment to the VET programs within the school's objectives; role of…

A large majority of the world's people are denied access to learning. The link between technical and vocational education (TVE) and individual and workplace economic productivity is well documented. Many countries are experiencing combinations of increasing populations of young people and high unemployment rates. Existing traditions of training…

This dissertation addresses the general experience of foreign language learners of high school and college age who are totally blind and who study in regular classroom settings. In a qualitative study, interviews were conducted with five nearsighted students, their foreign language classroom teachers, and teachers of students with visual…

Over half of Finnish elementary schools are small schools employing 1-3 teachers. This paper examines the implementation of new national curriculum policies in two small elementary schools. The new policies, adopted in 1994, stress autonomous control of learning and encourage each individual school, in collaboration with the community, to draw up…

The Even Start Family Literacy Program addresses the basic educational needs of parents and children from birth through age seven from low-income families. The program provides unified, multi-component services consisting of (1) interactive literacy activities between parents and their children; (2) training for parents to be the primary teachers…

The chapters in this volume illustrate how teachers are bringing creativity, higher-order thinking, and meaningful learning activities into particular school settings despite pressures of standards and testing. The editors chose the word wise for the title of this book, and they use it frequently to describe the pedagogical practices they have…

"Better Teaching and Learning in the Digital Classroom" is essential reading for any education professional or parent who wants to make the most of what the newest technologies have to offer. School spending on new computer technologies has mushroomed in recent years, as educators try to find every strategic advantage to improve teaching…

The Texas Study of Students at Risk (TxSSAR) is a comprehensive evaluation examining the effectiveness of three state-level programs with the common goal of helping students at risk of failure to achieve academically. The study comprises investigations of the Optional Extended Year Program (OEYP), the Texas After School Initiative (TASI), and the…

Describes how Oyster Bilingual School's (Washington, DC) two-way Spanish-English language plan functions in its sociopolitical context. It is noted that this plan is part of a larger identity plan aiming to promote social change by socializing children differently from the way they are socialized in mainstream US educational discourse. (46…

Examines changes in knowledge structures and beliefs related to class management experienced by middle school preservice teachers (n=23). The study charts changes in concerns, skills, and attitudes through the initial, middle, and concluding student teaching stages. A framework of change for class management concepts is reported and influences…

The growth experienced by Middlebury College (Vermont) in the 1980s brought stature and satisfaction. However, rising costs in the early 1990s resulted in more strategic planning and some retrenchment, focusing on enhancing the institution's excellence in certain liberal arts areas, gradual enrollment increases, cost and price containment,…

Analyzes and explains the change of a crowd into a mob. Uses as a case study the behavior of crowds involved in the integration of two previously all-White elementary schools in New Orleans (Louisiana). Emphasizes the role of the White students who continued to attend the schools. (FMW)

Describes an inservice course for sixth-form teachers to examine ways of moving away from course books and discussing ways of getting pupils to be more competent orally, especially in the context of discussion issues as opposed to general conversation. Two intensive courses were used as the basis for the inservice day. (CK)

Describes criteria developed to determine which of three existing computer-based training lessons could be repurposed into a multimedia format. Reasons for repurposing, types of criteria generated to determine the instruction's repurposeability, and lessons learned from the evaluation experience are covered. (Contains 13 references.) (KRN)

An overview of the innovative curriculum and program design of Hampshire College (Massachusetts), a liberal arts college opened in 1970, looks at its educational philosophy, nontraditional curriculum structure, underlying economic assumptions, recordkeeping, administrative organization, employment policy, governance, and student life. (MSE)