The author expresses his agreement with the recommendation that teacher education be upgraded--suggested in the preceding article by Gideonse in the same issue--but sets forth some additional problems to be overcome. (Author/JM)

Explores the similarities and differences among three thinking skills programs that help students analyze and evaluate their own problem-solving skills. (MLF)

This article describes a pilot program to identify students with irregular attendance and to coordinate follow-up services for them. (SJL)

Describes the process by which one institution created a comprehensive faculty development program by systematically following general guidelines drawn from the literature. Makes recommendations for developing a task force and initiating a program. Design and development of program conforms to four generic characteristics of faculty development…

Describes the experience of two small colleges, Chatham and Wesley, that survived the financial distress common to small school today. Discusses their lessons: reinforce strengths, rebuild the strongest financial source, diversify income, manage debt, and run a disciplined budget and financial management system. (EV)

Examines the effectiveness of five college level learning skills centers on grade improvement and retention. Finds successful programs are well structured, link with academic courses students take concurrently, stress a supportive relationship with the instructor, include behavioral counseling, are interwoven with other services and programs, and…

Systemic reform efforts are being widely utilized as a tool in school improvement. In the next decade, math and science are becoming a focus for improvement, as are the issues of privatization and collaboration. Asks school business officials questions to reveal how dedicated to change they are. (KDP)

Reviews the "Access America" report which was published in 1997 as a follow up to the National Performance Review, an assessment of federal government operations and procedures. Discusses future goals of the use of electronic services and information technology to improve government operations, systems integration, cost reduction,…

Examines popular approaches to performance and organizational improvement to see what flaws they contain and how continued practice will impede progress. Discusses benchmarking; quality management/continuous improvement; needs assessment; training; downsizing; reengineering; system(s) approach; and strategic planning. Describes the Organizational…

Identifies user interface problems as they relate to computer-assisted instruction (CAI); reviews the learning theories and instructional theories related to CAI user interface; and presents potential CAI user interface improvements for research and development based on learning and instructional theory. Focuses on screen design improvements.…

The Manitoba School Improvement Program Inc. (MSIP) acts as a "critical friend" to support risk-taking secondary school teachers. Suggested school improvement strategies include mobilizing staff commitment, broadening leadership and participation bases, and developing systematic inquiry for school self-evaluation. Successful schools are…

Two processes have been hypothesized to underlie improvement in perception: attunement and calibration. These processes were examined in a dynamic touch paradigm in which participants were asked to report the lengths of unseen, wielded rods differing in length, diameter, and material. Two experiments addressed whether feedback informs about the…

This paper examines how higher education can contribute to Africa's transformation, reviews the challenges and priorities for higher education institution building, and introduces a proposed partnership program among African and U.S. higher education institutions to strengthen African higher education. In July of 2007 the National Association of…

In recent years, several large urban districts, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, and Kansas City, Missouri have converted their middle schools (generally grades 6-8) to K-8 schools in the hope of improving student achievement, attendance, and behavior, while also enhancing parental involvement. The…

This paper examines how Head Start and state pre-kindergarten programs can work together to better serve young children and their families. It focuses on two of the several models of early childhood education, acknowledging that these programs are just one piece of a fully integrated system of early care and education for children from birth until…