Faculty members at an elementary school in its first year as a professional development school completed interviews and classroom observations examining how their expectations and aspirations for their role developed over time. Results highlighted five assertions, most of which related to their amount of control over environment and professional…

This article examines impediments to effective dissemination of training in positive behavioral support, such as school discipline policies and the inadequacy of training models. It suggests ways new information technologies can overcome these obstacles and reviews some new approaches using CD-ROM and online instructional methodologies to advance…

Examines how an elementary school faculty in a technology-rich environment are acquiring expertise to effectively use technology to facilitate instruction for children. Describes the technology and discusses efforts for staff development. Proposes a model for staff development that includes both computer and curricular innovations. (Author/AEF)

Describes the implementation of a pilot program for proactive inclusion at East Tennessee State University Child Study Center. Focuses on program characteristics critical to inclusion such as effective consultation strategies related to transitions, assessment and curriculum, and professional development; and family-centered services. (KB)

Describes the development and implementation of a laboratory-based professional development program for high school chemistry teachers. Demonstrates how chemistry can be taught with simple, readily available materials. (DDR)

Recommends that teachers prompt intellectual preparation of adolescents by asking intriguing questions, presenting captivating tasks, opening compelling investigations, or assigning appealing roles. Discusses discipline-based inquiry by young students in science, mathematics, social studies, English, and the fine arts. Challenges teachers to…

A summer professional development institute introduces middle school teachers to interdisciplinary work and development of local place-based units. Teachers learn to develop a common experience, use tools of inquiry for their own discipline, communicate their findings, and respect both disciplinary and shared interdisciplinary understanding.…

Presents general overview of evaluation, including definition, general functions, and processes. Describes factors associated with low teacher quality in Kenya such as deficiencies in preservice teacher education, limited opportunities for inservice training. Summarizes problems in the Kenyan teacher-evaluation system and the proposed strategies…

Explores the impact of Professional Development Schools (PDSs) on the professional lives of school-based and university-based administrators, examining literature about the need for redefined leadership in restructuring schools and leadership roles in PDSs and discussing results from a study designed to elicit the voices of these administrators…

Examines major critiques from the literature on the Professional Development School (PDS) equity agenda and accomplishments, referencing works from literature on PDSs, diversity, urban education, and multicultural education. The paper focuses on issues related to poor or working-class learners in PDS settings and learners from non-European racial,…

Examined the effects of sequential feedback on preservice physical educators' instructional interactions with students, assessing the influence of differential sequential interactions on student skill practice. Observational data indicated that sequential feedback consistently increased the incidence of refinement and explicit instruction within…

Examines the use of the Internet, particularly an online discussion forum, to help elementary mathematics teachers develop their teaching in ways consistent with reform. Though some results were disappointing, findings indicated that this method of discussion helped teachers reflect on their own teaching and see how other teachers do some of the…

Data from a pilot survey of the preservice professional training experiences in the area of collaboration for speech-language pathologists (n=7) and special (n=4) and general (1) educators who teach students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are presented, as is information from 10 faculty who teach AAC courses. (Contains…

As part of her Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education course, Therese McLaren was asked to imagine how issues the Social Contexts of Secondary Education class was reading about and discussing impact upon the work of teachers. To that end, students were asked to think deeply about one of the topics addressed in the semester, and to frame a…

The Freedom to Learn (FTL) program is a statewide initiative coordinated by the Michigan Department of Education and Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Now beginning its third year, the program targets underperforming middle schools in 100 of the state's 500 districts. More than 23,000 students and 1,500 teachers have been issued HP nx9010…