This paper addresses the issue of multiculturalism in public schools and the role teacher education programs play in preparing teachers to create, implement, and evaluate curriculum and instruction responsive to the educational needs of diverse learners. Ethnographic interviews and observations were utilized to present a case study which…

The mattering scales are designed to assess the perceptions of adult learners about their educational environment. They answer these questions: Do I feel I matter to the institution? and Do I feel noticed, appreciated, welcomed? To determine the extent to which adult learners feel they matter, five scales are designed to assess their perceptions…

A study was conducted to determine the effects of the formal evaluation process (FEP) of two- and four-year college faculty on instructional improvement. A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 250 tenured faculty representing five colleges and universities. Respondents were asked to indicate whether three segments of the FEP (i.e.,…

This monograph examines student advising in the higher education setting by focusing on shared responsibility strategies that enhance student motivation and persistence in a diverse student population. In the first two sections, a new concept of advising called developmental advising is described in which the relationship between advisor and…

The findings of numerous empirically based research studies reflecting the views of teachers, students, and administrators can be used to identify a "core of techniques" associated with effective community college teachers. Community college teaching is generally more student-centered than four-year college instruction, with the choice of teaching…

Since 1969-70 the National Catholic Educational Association has published a statistical report on Catholic elementary schools and secondary schools in the United States. This year's report contains the core school enrollment and staffing data of the Association's historical file, and includes data from a survey on extended care programs and…

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to determine the norms and rules of behavior in a multi-ethnic seventh-grade classroom in an inner-city school. Data were gathered through classroom observations and interviews with the teacher. The teacher in this class stressed ethnic pride, and because the majority of the students (as well as the…

As more and more middle school students come to the classroom with no real, stable connections outside the school setting, it is increasingly important for educators to reach out to them in a variety of ways. This paper addresses that need by offering educators suggestions in the following five areas: (1) comprehending the unique characteristics…

Portfolios, collections of student work representing a selection of performance, are being used in classrooms today in the tradition of the visual and performing arts in which they serve to showcase a student's best pieces and the student's evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the pieces. Portfolios are useful as a support to new…

This book maintains that much of what children and adolescents are taught in school is of limited use to them in succeeding in life. It notes that although most school curricula focus on factual knowledge and cultural enrichment, they fall short in providing students with an education that focuses on individual abilities and inclinations,…

This volume presents methods and first-year findings from the urban and suburban/rural studies of Special Strategies for Educating Disadvantaged Children, a 3-year project that is collecting case study data on 10 different strategies identified as holding promise for educating this group of children. Data collected by Special Strategies involve…

This set of materials is designed to assist in creating productive, safe, and respectful learning environments for students at risk. The materials are designed around the concepts of treating students with dignity and respect, developing students' skills for success, emphasizing positive interactions, using misbehavior as a teaching opportunity,…

To ensure high quality courses and services at Louisiana State University Evening School (Baton Rouge), a program evaluation was designed to aid in decision making. The plan developed and initially implemented in 1991-92 represents a beginning effort in a continuous process of evaluation. The initial focus was on instruction. The object of this…

This paper argues that collaborative learning is possible within graduate education and examines the process whereby a classroom can develop into a unified learning community of shared experiences. Using excerpts of student writings and dialogue, three aspects surrounding the creation of a learning community are explored: (1) the risk of trust,…

This paper examines the design and findings of a survey of 31 faculty and 550 students participating in 7 Annenberg/CPE New Pathways to a Degree electronic learning projects. Each project was selected because it proposed innovative ways to use technology to create new educational opportunities for "new majority learners" (students unable…