This newsletter briefly discusses three topics generated from the continuing work in the field of education of the international Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). The topics are titled: (1) The Contribution of Research, Innovation and Development to Effective…

A comprehensive, interactive conference was designed to help improve the quality of external degree programs and adult education. Sixteen papers are presented as follows: (1) "Designing Self-Instructional Print Material for the Adult Learner" (Diane J. Davis); (2) "Degrees by Alternative Delivery for U.S. Soldiers and Sailors"…

Public education is facing a crisis of major proportions, but the things that are basically wrong with schools are not those being emphasized in current proposals for change. This paper identifies two basic defects in the American system of public education: (1) there is too little attention to individual differences; and (2) there is too much…

Observations of and interviews with teachers and administrators in three elementary and three secondary schools provided support for the hypothesis that the social organization of the school as a workplace affects the fruitfulness of staff development efforts and the effectiveness of the school as a whole. This report reviews the relevant…

Profiles of 14 educational programs and products are presented which focus on competency- and goal-based education. Each report contains a description of the background, goals, and methods of the program or product, as well as the address of a contact person. The programs described are: (1) Project Write, designed to improve composition skills of…

Because of the rapid changes in the world of work, education is hard-pressed to meet society's needs. If education is to meet the needs of the future, it must not merely update, but radically change its model. Because technology changes the workplace so quickly, specific vocational skills are no longer a valid product of vocational education.…

A study examined the attitudes of Florida business teachers toward perceived barriers to implementing the Florida competency-based business curriculum materials and also the characteristics of business teachers who would be most likely to receive and adopt curriculum innovations. During the study, a five-part questionnaire that contained questions…

Postsecondary education's responses to economic change are discussed, based on 22 projects supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). After identifying common themes of the FIPSE "Education and Economy Alliance" projects, new directions for postsecondary education are considered, along with policy concerns.…

To provide a framework for the design and implementation of school improvement efforts, this booklet presents summaries of research on major factors influencing student achievement--school and classroom characteristics, educational expenditures, the quantity and quality of professional staff, and social environment--and conclusions based on that…

Design-based research is proposed as a strategy to address the need for innovation in educational contexts. The article argues the case for increased and more effective research and development in education, and then presents a discussion of design-based research as a methodological set of tools to address this need. The four phases of…

This review of the literature on the topic of counselling and information services for adult learners was commissioned by UNESCO in autumn 1974. Topics addressed include (1) social context of adult education in the 1970's, (2) need for services, (3) trends in counselling, (4) trends in information services, (5) services to women and the…

In an effort to identify and prioritize critical issues in rural education, three groups were surveyed: policy makers (N=10 national, 7 state, and 4 local); practitioners (limited to 48 school superintendents from districts randomly drawn by region, with no more than 2 to a given state); and trainers (N=48 trainers with 16 in each of the…

Presented are written explanations and critical evaluations of the major teaching practices now being used in undergraduate education. Discussed are both traditional approaches to teaching (lecturing, testing, leading discussions) and new approaches (using a personalized system of instruction, teaching with computers, developing learning…

The nature of the Cooperative Extension Service in agriculture was examined to identify aspects that could be applied to the design of an educational extension service. To learn about the organization, programs, and priorities of Cooperative Extension, employees of the state extension services in California, Colorado, New Mexico, New York, and…

Both time and circumstance have convinced many a school district that it must find a better way to educate its students. For many districts the way has been alternative schools and programs that offer students a choice of goals, structures, and approaches to curriculum. One report estimated that as many as 5,000 alternative schools would be in…