The "2011 State Preschool Yearbook" is the newest edition of our annual report profiling state-funded prekindergarten programs in the United States. This latest "Yearbook" presents data on state-funded prekindergarten during the 2010-2011 school year as well as documenting a decade of progress since the first…

A study was undertaken to determine how telecommunications technology affects teacher reflection and collaboration. Study participants, eight teachers currently practicing in both public and private schools, were interviewed several times over the school year. Analysis of the data revealed several important areas of impact regarding use of…

When the faculty of a degree-awarding distance education institution is assembled, it is essential to meet the credentialing requirements established by the accrediting commission of the Distance Education and Training Council and the various state educational councils. It is also important to find faculty applicants with a love of teaching,…

This report describes a training program designed to assist 15 Southeastern states in preparing quality early intervention personnel to serve young children with disabilities and their families. The goals of the project are described, including: (1) increasing states' progress in implementing the personnel preparation component of Part H of the…

Efforts to reform educational administration programs depend on the ability of faculty members to develop shared purpose and understanding. This paper describes the experiences of nine faculty members in a department of educational administration in a large midwestern university, who, in seeking to transform their preparation program, transformed…

Formative teacher evaluation promotes teacher growth by illuminating some areas of difficulty and creating a viable course for change. The goal is to help teachers become more effective. Since 1991, the SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE) has supported selected school systems in their attempts to design and implement formative…

The l992 Hope College (Michigan) Interpersonal Communications Seminar provided a basis from which participants could examine the scope of interpersonal communication as a "practical discipline." Discussions focused on the constructivist perspective wherein persons approach the world through interpersonal processes which then channel…

This booklet describes one of the earliest staff development models to support school-based improvement, the RPTIM model. The letters "RPTIM" represent the five stages of the school-based approach to staff development--readiness, planning, training, implementation, and maintenance. The model is based on the belief that the school is the primary…

This paper describes how staff development contributed to the effectiveness of four elementary schools along the south-Texas border. It attempts to determine the use of the strategies and techniques developed during staff development, the types of assistance teachers received to enable them to apply new techniques, and the differences teachers…

This paper reports on research evaluating a faculty development program, Creating a Collaborative Learning Environment (CCLE), at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study combined a contextual study to examine historical data and three case studies with participant verification. CCLE is a voluntary professional development program designed…

This book shows how learning circles (small groups of learners who come together to support each other in learning) can make great improvements in teaching quality. Teachers can form learning circles based on six key conditions that promote healthy communities of learners and successful professional development. The six conditions are (1) building…

In 1989, Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) implemented the Study of Teaching (TST), a staff development program for administrators and teachers to promote professional collegiality. A 3-year evaluation of program implementation in the Germany Region for the Office of Dependents Education was undertaken. This report documents…

The teacher-researcher has assumed many roles ranging from research assistant through collaborator to research director. The benefits of teacher research include the political (it is a vehicle for the empowerment of teachers), the practical (teachers are in the best position to verify which methods work best), and professional growth (they are…

The South Central Ohio Regional Training Center (SCRTC) is one of the Centers established in response to a directive from the Ohio State Department of Education to: (1) provide teacher-centered professional development experiences that build on the values of collegiality; (2) strengthen teacher leadership in educational improvement and change; (3)…

Findings of a study that examined effective approaches to the professional development of teachers are presented in this paper. Methodology involved a survey of principals in New South Wales, Australia, and the United States; an evaluation of 379 inschool staff development programs in New South Wales; case study analysis of 8 New South Wales…