Measures to improve parent and student choice of school have recently become an important issue for educational reform in a number of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. This book summarizes the school-choice experiences of selected OECD countries. The data, collected by the OECD/Centre for Educational Research…

In fall 1993, the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) contracted with two community-based organizations to serve eligible AISD dropouts during the 1993-94 school year. The American Institute for Learning and Middle Earth Unlimited, Inc. provided services through the Creative Rapid Learning Center (CRLC) and the 78702 RAYS program,…

Intended for teacher educators, educators working daily with at-risk students, and human services specialists, this book operates from the premises that: (1) at-risk children and adolescents deserve the attention of professionals; (2) at-risk conditions and behaviors can be identified and their effects assessed; (3) effective programs and…

A small but increasing number of school-aged children are engaging in home schooling--pursuing learning at home or elsewhere in the community. This digest summarizes research findings on and issues around home schooling. It describes the historical roots of home schooling, the estimated number of participants, the constitutionality and legal…

Some researchers have argued that students often learn to operate in two domains, the domain of the science context in school, and the domain of everyday life outside of school. Outside of school, students are exposed to many media from which to learn science concepts. This document is one of a series on research seminars at the Western Australian…

Using guidelines established for alternative certification, Tarleton State University (Texas) has developed an accelerated teacher education program that allows nontraditional students to enter the teaching profession in an expedient and professional manner. The Tarleton Model for Accelerated Teacher Education (TMATE) was initiated and established…

This booklet contains 56 strategies for increasing student participation in educational programs not traditional for their gender. Strategies for recruitment are as follows: prepare useful program information, demonstrate interest in serving nontraditional students, work with feeder schools and the community, and work with other agencies serving…

This book draws together the experiences, insights, and findings of some of the world's leading staff developers in open and flexible education. It is designed to provide an overview of the trends, influences and events which are shaping the work of these professionals, and the policy changes, processes and outcomes they are helping to bring about…

Change is a reality in today's workforce. With every new invention and growth in technology, businesses are forced to change. One of the changes businesses are making is the adoption of Web-based technology. This has greatly impacted the business of training. One of the biggest challenges the training industry is facing today is making the…

This paper describes research that was conducted in three phases between 1989-1990 to develop a 3-month early reading program for the use of day care centers in urban poor communities. The research meant to promote early literacy skills in a manner relevant to the children by using language with which they are comfortable and materials that are…

This paper summarizes a quantitative synthesis of studies of the effectiveness of interactive distance education using videoconferencing and telecommunications for K-12 academic achievement. Effect sizes for 19 experimental and quasi-experimental studies including 929 student participants were analyzed across sample characteristics, study methods,…

A study focused on the development and pilot testing of a student satisfaction instrument, the results of which may be used to identify weaknesses and strengths of nontraditional degree programs. The literature review demonstrated little empirical evidence that could support positive or negative conclusions regarding student satisfaction within…

Alternatives to the current system of graded classes and ability grouping are examined that would allow teachers to balance individual student needs with practical considerations in instructional delivery. In addition to reviewing the alternatives, the research that has examined these approaches is reviewed and synthesized. The three alternative…

This article describes a teacher education program, "Studies in Educational Alternatives" (S.E.A.), at Mankato State University (Minnesota). The program is committed to personalization and practicum experiences as major components of teacher preparation. The document discusses: (1) program design; (2) admission processes; (3)…

This Peace Corps Nonformal Education (NFE) training module provides training ideas for volunteers. This module contains 10 sessions, each designed to fit into a 3-hour period: (1) What is NFE? (2) adult learning; (3) helping people identify their needs; (4) facilitation skills--part 1; (5) facilitation skills--part 2; (6) NFE materials…