This article addresses some of the difficulties inherent in disseminating emancipatory research findings in academic journals in a way that is empowering to people with learning difficulties in the UK. It calls for academics to challenge the editorial criteria of academic journals to consider accepting articles written in a more accessible style.…

Two studies analyzed impacts of writing and receiving web-mediated peer reviews on revision of research reports by undergraduate science students. After conducting toxicology experiments, 77 students posted draft reports and exchanged double-blind reviews. The first study randomly assigned students to four groups representing full, partial, or no…

To examine trends in educational practice research, this article conducted a survey and analysis of factors affecting the review of research papers in the field of the educational technology in Japan. Two factors, namely, practical orientation and theoretical orientation, were extracted from 63 survey responses, and scores from members of a…

This paper is the fifth annual report on the cumulative student loan debt of recent graduates from public and private nonprofit colleges. This analysis of the latest available data found that the debt levels of students who graduate with loans continued to rise, with considerable variation among states as well as among colleges. This report…

The Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) is the second-largest public school system in Pennsylvania. The state has only one other major big-city school system--Philadelphia's. The school district has made substantial gains in student achievement over the last several years, significantly increasing the numbers of students at the proficient level in…

"Expanding Choice in Elementary and Secondary Education: A Report on Rethinking the Federal Role in Education" presents a seemingly egalitarian prescription for the federal government to expand school choice. An examination of the arguments and evidence for increasing choice, however, reveals at least three important shortcomings. First, the…

A recent report from the Reason Foundation argues for significant changes in how public education is organized and delivered in large cities. The report argues that city schools should move toward a "portfolio" of schools model. In such a model, the district does not necessarily operate schools, but instead focuses on closing low-performing…

Policy shapes practice, and the increasingly important realm of professional development is no exception. In order to identify effective professional development policies and strategies, a Stanford University research team examined the policy frameworks supporting high levels of professional development activity in four states. The…

This article had four goals. First, the authors identified a set of general challenges and questions that a life-span theory of development should address. Second, they presented a comprehensive account of their Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development. They integrated the model of optimization in primary and secondary control and the…

Quality Counts 2010 is the 14th edition of "Education Week's" annual report card on American public education as viewed through the lens of the states' education policies and outcomes. As in the past, this year's edition is built on twin foundations: (1) the detailed data collection and analysis of the Editorial Projects in Education…

The ability to use literature effectively is essential to provide context and interpret results for any research project. Undergraduate students in geographical disciplines are regularly required to produce research reports, yet formal training in effective literature use is minimal. In this study students were taught effective literature use…

Designed for those responsible for printed materials produced in schools, school systems, and educational organizations, this handbook is a collection of guidelines, tips, and checklists for producing printed materials for the profession and the public. The first two chapters consider elements essential to producing effective publications:…

This report offers suggestions for starting and supporting faculty inquiry groups on individual campuses. Topics include: (1) The Power of Inquiry; Challenging Questions and Powerful Evidence; (2) The Power of Community: Inquiry as a Collaborative Process of Improvement; (3) Suggestions for Starting and Supporting a Faculty Inquiry Group; and (4)…

For a variety of reasons described in the paper, improving the performance of urban school districts is more difficult today than it was several decades ago. Yet economic and social changes make performance improvement especially important today. Two quite different bodies of research provide ideas for improving the performance of urban school…

The American higher education enterprise has the capacity and fortitude to confront many of the country's most pressing energy and environmental challenges. Many institutions and state college systems are using campus resources to carry out grassroots environmental initiatives. These activities have yielded important environmental, educational,…