This collection of papers, the fifth in an annual series, presents views of members of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education on improving teaching and learning in higher education settings. Articles and their authors are as follows: "Reflections of a Practitioner: Ten Years of Professional and Organization…

This collection of papers, the seventh in an annual series, presents views of members of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education on classroom research, the fostering of student inquiry, the realities and possibilities of academic life, and the training and support of academic professionals. Articles and authors…

Empowering teacher induction programs are developmental in nature and generally have similar philosophical orientations. They identify and meet the instructional, non-instructional, and empowerment needs of novice teachers. Induction programs that empower include the following elements: development of personal strengths and ideas; defined…

This paper addresses education reform efforts, specifically the need to improve schooling by improving the status, power, and working conditions of teachers through professional development programs. Two issues which continue to undermine the authenticity and social value of efforts to promote teacher development are addressed: (1) underneath the…

This digest, based on a full report of the same title, provides an examination of the improvement of college teaching and argues for the central involvement of faculty themselves in collaborative peer review and looks at some central issues and challenges to implementation. Since summative evaluation involved in tenure and promotion decisions…

Begun in 1988 to address issues of technology and education, the Maricopa County Community College District's (MCCCD's) Ocotillo program has expanded to provide a forum for faculty and staff to address general issues of the quality of learning and instruction in MCCCD through year-long committees on subjects of interest. This document features the…

This paper reports findings of a study that is grounded in the assumption that the ways in which teachers interact outside their classrooms may be critical to the future of school restructuring and the effects of restructuring on students. The paper develops a framework for analyzing professional community within schools, examines school…

The Iowa Educational Excellence Act and its amendments provide for four types of Phase III programs: performance-based pay, supplemental pay, a combination of both, or comprehensive school transformation. In 1993, the Des Moines Phase III program, which originated as a combination of performance-based pay and supplemental pay, changed to a…

This report presents findings of a 1991 survey of chief academic officers (CAO's) of community, technical, and junior colleges to measure the level of commitment to instructional effectiveness and illuminate those areas which deserve attention. The study replicated a 1987 survey of CAO's at four-year institutions and utilized the five areas of…

The Austin (Texas) Science and Mathematics Consortium funded by a 4-year grant that has 2 basic goals: to improve the skills of K-12 teachers in science and mathematics and to increase student learning and performance in science concepts. Program activities, which began in 1990-91, focus on four components: curriculum development, staff…

This paper focuses on the experiences of two cohorts of teachers who participated in a series of inservice workshops designed to provide instruction and support for novice teachers. A case study approach is used to describe their changed perceptions and beliefs about teachers, teaching, and students during the first year of teaching. The teachers'…

The two training manuals provide activities and exercises intended for use in college-level study groups for students needing assistance with academic English. They were prepared as part of a larger project at California State University at Los Angeles to enhance curricula, instruction, and preparation of students with limited English. In each…

Brokering Rural AGE was a 17-month collaborative project for the development of gerontological curricula, involving four university-based gerontology centers and 17 community colleges in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Its purpose was to enhance the gerontological curricula of community colleges serving rural areas by means of a model…

The Fluency First in English as a second language (ESL) project at City College (New York) began as a result of the high failure rate among ESL writing students at the college, and the fact that this kept many students from entering the regular college courses. Revision on the ESL reading and writing curricula, beginning in 1987, focused on…

This paper reports the results of a survey that addressed the type of preparation faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln want to help them build appropriate teaching skills for distance education delivery. Specifically, it examined the type of education, assistance, and support faculty need to develop educational materials for distance…