An overview of the evolution of the innovative University of California, Santa Cruz, looks at its origins, campus organization, curriculum and instructional philosophy, campus design, leadership and faculty, student population, campus life, and curriculum design. Strategies for and obstacles to effective change are highlighted. (MSE)

Describes the Teach for America teacher corps which places recent graduates of selective colleges in teaching positions at inner-city and rural schools plagued by shortages. The program, funded by high-profile benefactors, has participants make a two-year commitment. It has raised great controversy, particularly among educators who value rigorous…

The 70001 Training & Employment Institute is currently designing a new dropout prevention program for public schools, the Work, Achievement, and Values in Education (WAVE) project. WAVE exercises will be competency based, helping demonstrate concrete learning gains and emphasizing experiential learning activities and sensitivity to local…

Presents a study to evaluate the influence of a 1-week in-service workshop intended to promote science-technology-society instructional themes and alternative instructional strategies for 13 experienced science teachers. Results indicate that a significant shift in instructional goals orientation occurred and that teachers demonstrated higher…

Argues that prevailing assessment methods in higher education confuse the adult learner, fail to place the instructor in a facilitative mode, and hamper attempts at learner empowerment. Descriptions of more appropriate evaluative methods are offered, including instructor, peer, and self-evaluation, accompanied by student responses to these…

Compares the negative attitudes of professors toward pressure to integrate information technology to similar reactions to audiovisual materials 30 years ago. Presents a case study conducted at the University of Central Florida, outlining student and teacher reactions to Web-based courses. Suggests that faculty should maintain a proactive outlook…

Describes a partnership between preservice physical education (PE) teachers and at-risk alternative high school students in which preservice teachers provided PE at the school, where there was no PE faculty or facility. Participant surveys and interviews indicated that the program was very effective, pupils appreciated and enjoyed the program, and…

Explores how an invisible pedagogy (integrated curriculum) benefits young adolescent females attending a school for educationally disenfranchised students, using Bernstein's theory of pedagogic practice. Examines aspects of the curriculum that positively impact gender identity among young, working class women, emphasizing skills and knowledge that…

Describes a University of Wisconsin program that maintains summer institutes and seminars between university, college, and high school history teachers. Priorities have included upgrading the critical-thinking and research skills of secondary school students. A serendipitous benefit has been an increased mastery of the recent literature by…

Introduces the idea that attention deficit disorder is a myth brought about by society's attempts to alter and adapt children's natural behaviors to fit the routines and limits of a flawed educational system. Anecdotes from Albany's Free School describe ways of working with children as unique individuals, based on the faith in every child's inborn…

Supported by Save the Children, the Mali Community School project helped fund school construction in previously unserved villages and accommodated community priorities: instruction in Bambara rather than French, integration of local knowledge into traditional subject areas, and school schedules adapted to agricultural needs. Project evaluation…

Experiences with alternative community schools have led the authors to conclude that education should be experiential and involve service learning and outdoor education. In the programs described here, students, families, and community members are involved in planning and implementing courses that include internships and develop strong…

Young offenders present many challenges to the juvenile justice system, the school system and the labor system as they transfer from residential commitment to their home communities. The challenges can be overwhelming, potentially creating a sense of hopelessness for the community and for the youth. In response to the need for appropriate academic…

Adolescents enrolled in alternative school settings evidence risk behaviors at a higher rate compared to students attending regular high schools. Histories of substance use, juvenile delinquency, high school expulsion, poor school attendance, and HIV-risk behaviors are typical. These youth are particularly vulnerable to HIV-risk behaviors and…

The author's students were an unhappy, skeptical group of middle school students. Many of them had emotional issues. Many had drug addiction and prostitution in their broken and poverty-ridden families. Her school, which is a small charter school in a remote Arizona town, was a place of last resort for these students, who probably would not…