The purpose of this hearing was to review the effectiveness and value of the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) past and present programs in support of improvement of K-12 science and math education and to examine what role the Foundation should play in future federal initiatives for strengthening K-12 science and math education. This hearing…

Japanese lesson study, in various adapted forms, is becoming increasingly significant in professional development of mathematics teachers in the USA. Our goal in the research reported in this paper was to investigate, in a three-tiered teaching experiment, the cycles of learning of two researchers, six teachers, and the students in three grade 4…

Online instruction gains an increasing presence due to associated benefits, including the ability to disregard geographical and time constraints, and the belief that online training is more cost efficient. This paper provides a discussion of issues to be faced by HRD professionals who intend to move the training environment online in response to…

A survey of informal learning among 318 teachers and HRD professionals was conducted. Analysis of the data found that teachers rely to a greater extent on interactive informal learning activities while HRD professionals rely to a greater extent on independent learning activities. Data analysis also found that six environmental factors inhibit…

This document contains six articles. The first article describes the current status of education in the United States. The second article describes what changes to expect in adult and student populations, migration, the economy, and support for public education in the Mid-continental region. The next four articles provide snapshots of the region…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has challenged test developers to create a voluntary program of certification in which highly accomplished teachers receive recognition for meeting rigorous standards. These four papers report the experiences of teacher-candidates, school district administrators, researchers, and test…

The local assessment moderation process is described in terms of Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP) teachers' roles in the process of student evaluation and the subsequent use of that data for program evaluation. Teachers engaged in local assessment moderation function as a community of judgment, and this task engagement…

This study assessed the readiness and practice of specialist-level training programs in school psychology to address the preservice training needs in the area of school violence and youth gang prevention. A survey of 189 programs yielded 90 usable replies describing their training programs. Most of these programs were located in or near midsize…

This study evaluated the output, level of participation, and perceptions of effectiveness and value among participants in a virtual forum. Twenty-three experts in the field of adult education and community development were invited to participate in a three-week interactive session using a World Wide Web-based, asynchronous computer conferencing…

The Master's Program in Counseling and Human Relations at Northern Arizona University is a broad-based professional preparation degree that attracts students from a variety of areas, including nursing, social services, psychology, criminal justice, and education. The program provides advanced preparation in facilitation of learning, understanding…

This booklet outlines key principles that ideally characterize partnership governance structures and processes in professional development school (PDS) settings, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the various decision making structures and processes currently employed by PDS partnerships. The booklet provides a self-assessment tool for…

The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to develop state improvement plans (SIPs) that include provisions supporting the professional development of all persons who work with disabled children. The National Association of State Directors of Special Education is establishing a professional…

This report presents the results of a three-year educational partnership that supports a unique interdisciplinary team approach to professional development. The Sage Colleges collaborated with two school districts to enable educators to align content and standards; draw upon a bank of assessment vehicles, questions, and assignments; create…

This report presents the results of a three-year educational partnership that supports a unique interdisciplinary team approach to professional development. The Sage Colleges collaborated with two school districts (City School District of Albany and Niskayuna Central School District) to enable educators to align content and standards; draw upon a…

This report contains the results of a review process and specifically addresses the indicators of progress and achievement which include student impact, teacher impact, policy changes, resource changes, management change, data utilization, learning infrastructure change, student performance, and partnerships. The review was designed to gain a full…