As bilingual enrichment programmes that integrate language majority and language minority students, two-way immersion (TWI) programmes have the potential to overcome the harmful effects of segregation and remedial education that are the frequent byproducts of educational programmes for native speakers of languages other than English.…

Many people are finding themselves in the middle of a messy muddle these days. Faced with budget cuts and the challenge of extending the reach of the institution to increase enrollments, people are in the classic do-more-with-less situation. In this article, the author discusses how distance-education programs can rapidly grow with limited…

Competition sparked by school choice is expected to generate greater educational opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged students. The premise is that competitive incentives will change the organizational behavior of schools (and districts, dioceses, etc.) in ways that will lead to more equitable access for students across varied and often…

While Merrifield is correct in his basic argument that so-called "market reforms" in el/sec schooling are far from being pure market, he is incorrect to suggest that purer market projects are needed together with simulations of pure market reforms. There are two fundamental problems in that thesis. First, it is not clear that school choice in…

Purpose: Disparities in learning opportunities endure. This paper aims to investigate whether the learning representative schemes in the UK and New Zealand (NZ) may redress disparate opportunities for learning. Design/methodology/approach: An interview study of UK trade unions' educational officers and an interview study of representatives of…

In times of constant change, teachers need to be flexible, adaptable and creative. This article argues that promoting creativity of staff to enhance twenty-first century learning is a fundamental challenge for school leadership today. Drawing on the findings of a research and development project involving senior leadership teams and a local…

This article analyses the results from a study conducted among the total population of full-time Postgraduate Certificate in Education course (PGCE) students in Norwegian universities (N = 283) in the autumn of 2006. The students responded to a questionnaire examining their motivation to take the PGCE course and their motivation to become…

The authors had the most fantastic teachable moment when they shared book club time with 24 students they teach at Health Sciences High and Middle College. As they reflect on their conversation with the students, they are convinced that the impetus for the students' interest in what they were reading and discussing with their peers was that they…

"National CrossTalk" is a publication of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. The National Center promotes public policies that enhance opportunities for quality education and training beyond high school. The primary purpose of "National CrossTalk" is to stimulate informed discussion and debate of higher…

The new Community College and Career Training Grant Program to be launched this fall presents an important opportunity to help more American workers find better long-term employment more efficiently, through the promotion of innovative training and education programs that incorporate the best of what works for dislocated and unemployed adult…

Classroom integration of technology is a complex process that must include thought to the purpose of integration and a plan for the professional development of the teachers. The change in any instructional practice requires an effective professional development plan that best addresses the needs of the teachers. This study investigated the level…

Research on freshman transition programs suggests the need for a transition program that assists students as they enter high school. Many freshman transition programs consist of a visit from the high school counselors or a tour of the school. These programs do not help meet the needs of many students who will need constant support throughout the…

Although inequity in educational opportunity provided to children (based on poverty, ethnicity, disability, or English as a second language) has led to a massive federal and state initiative to reshape public education (ESEA 1965 and ESEA 2001, known as the No Child Left Behind Act, or NCLB), the issue of the condition of the schools such children…

Having a quality relationship with school administrators is important to novice teachers. Principal support influences teachers' job satisfaction and decisions to remain in teaching. Although special education teachers can benefit from general administrative support, they also may require additional supports that address the unique obstacles they…

This article is an edited version of a speech delivered at the 2009 Mediterranean Association of International Schools (MAIS) Annual Conference in Florence, Italy. In the author's past speeches--in Seville and Rome--he had urged his listeners to use their distinctive power and influence as independent, international educators to advance…