Used selectively and imaginatively, corporate sponsorship can be a powerful tool to help libraries achieve their mission of getting more children reading and visiting the library. Focuses on development of the summer reading program by the Oregon Library Association. Discusses planning and fundraising; publicity; distributing funds; obstacles; and…

Discusses a summer institute that examined the shifting shape of American Literature, and teaching American Literature. Includes ways in which students help "make" literature with their own writing. Discusses the contributions of new technologies, pairing unlikely combinations of texts, and including middle school teachers who teach…

In this study we used spring-to-fall reading achievement data to measure summer gains and losses for a sample of over 300 early elementary school students from high-poverty schools. We combined evidence from a randomized experiment of an academically intensive community-based summer school program with parent telephone survey data regarding the…

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of stimulant medication on multiple domains of functioning in 36 young (5 to 6 years old) children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Five- and 6-year-old children attending a summer treatment program between 1987 and 1997 underwent a randomized clinical…

GeoScape is a landscape design consisting of colored gravel, strategically placed flagstone and boulders, and two vertical features that simulate the geology of fictitious regions. Employs "hands-on", inquiry-based, and cooperative learning techniques to help students develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. Explains the construction,…

A summer course was specifically designed for principals and aspiring principals to help them become more expert in principles of early childhood education. During the pilot, 10 volunteer participants completed a survey of beliefs on early childhood education before and after the course and submitted a piece of reflective writing each day. Gains…

This paper describes the assessment and instructional strategies used in a migrant education programme that had positive academic outcomes for a group of 11 eight-to-12-year-old Spanish/English-speaking students of Mexican descent. Students attended this four-week summer programme, jointly sponsored by the University of Illinois and the local…

In this issue, I provide information about an ongoing activity at the National Academies that will be of direct interest to biologists who are working to improve education in the life sciences. I also describe a recently published report and a forthcoming report on the Academies' efforts to help the nation develop a coherent strategy for improving…

The 2002 NRC Report "Bio 2010" (NRC, 2003), calling for changes in undergraduate education for biologists, suggested the establishment of summer workshops to help implement reform. While the report was in press, Millard Susman, a retired genetics professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Bob Yuan, a professor at University of…

When teachers wave goodbye to their students as they head off for summer vacation, they might just be bidding farewell to some of their hard-won gains in reading skills. The "summer slide" is well-documented by research: Unless students read regularly during the break, they fall behind about three months in their reading achievement. This article…

We investigate the dynamics of student engagement as it is manifest in self-directed, self-motivated, relatively long-term, computer-based scientific image processing activities. The raw data for the study are video records of 19 students, grades 7 to 11, who participated in intensive 6-week, extension summer courses. From this raw data we select…

This paper proposes different strategies for teaching social studies in an integrated manner using Main Street as a laboratory. The paper consists of two parts. Part One is devoted to a discussion of the empirical study; the second part focuses on strategies for integrating Main Street into the K through 12 setting. Although data are presented…

In 2007 Cedar Ridge Camp opened for its first season as a traditional co-ed summer camp and year-round outdoor education and recreation centre. The mission would centre on creating a program that would encourage personal development and growth through a shared outdoor experience. Cedar Ridge's main goals were to promote the formation of close…

In this article Harold Wach describes the gradual evolution of instructional technology faculty development programs at Bronx Community College from "one-shot" two-hour software training sessions toward a comprehensive model that combines intensive summer sessions, academic year implementation, peer mentoring, and accountability. The…

The development and implementation of a Professional Development School (PDS)--sponsored summer program for at-risk secondary students is described. Literature related to PDSs and summer programs is followed by a presentation of data findings and analysis. Attendance and grade point average data gathered on the 17 participating rising ninth…