Collaborative grant conceptualization and writing gave depth to a school/university partnership that applied for and secured a grant to enhance, through technology, the environmental education program of a local elementary school. The proposal development process is described and critically analyzed. Lessons learned about collaborative planning…

Describes a partnership between Boston College and its local community, outlining the partnership's development from a simple school-university engagement between a principal and a school of education faculty member to a complex set of relationships involving multiple disciplines, professions, funders, projects, participants, institutions, and…

Examined the outcomes of a 2-year, technology-supported, problem-based learning project which built teacher knowledge through sustained, dialogue-driven collaboration. The qualitative research, involving 28 grade 5-8 teachers, identified key organizational structures for making the most of computer-mediated communication for inservice teacher…

Three Head Start teachers who served students with special needs in their inclusive classrooms participated with an early childhood special education teacher conducting peer coaching sessions. Results indicated that all Head Start teachers increased their rate of responsive statements. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Investigated how collaborative action research projects affected five pre-service teachers' professional development while working with on-site teacher educators within a Professional Development School. Data from interviews, conferences, journals, action research, student writings, and field notes indicated that these experiences helped…

Describes how pre-service teachers at one elementary school participate in Grand Rounds (borrowed from the medical profession). Participants observe master teachers demonstrating model lessons and interacting with students. During a debriefing session, student teachers ask questions and discuss their observations with master teachers. Later, they…

Demonstrates how analyzing the evolution of long-term Professional Development School (PDS) problems can serve as indicators of PDS growth, identifying three persistent problems (building trust and relationships between university and school personnel, reconceptualizing existing coursework to fit in the PDS context, and making inquiry a central…

Shares the insights and experiences of mentor teachers from an elementary-level Professional Development School (PDS), describing the development of the PDS and offering insights about the mentor teacher's role, opportunities, and qualities. Information comes from surveys of and interviews with 11 mentor teachers at the school. A checklist for…

Examines collaborative research and practice-oriented inquiry groups which facilitate the professional development of educators and the enhancement of student achievement within a middle-school Professional Development School (PDS). Small groups of university and school educators conduct action research and inquiry about school-based educational…

Describes results from a qualitative analysis of responses from classroom-, school-, district-, and state-level educators and administrators to questions about K-12 school health education. Results highlighted six themes: value of health education in school curricula; qualifications of and opportunities for educators; programs, curricula, and…

Describes a partnership between university education faculty and an urban public alternative high school. University faculty worked closely with teachers and students to increase students' chances of graduating. The research-based program was based on effective schools research and instructional best practices. The program resulted in real…

Daniel is autistic. He is charming, intelligent, creative, and full of energy, just like his 18 classmates. However, he is unable to use language to interact with others. His rare attempts at communication are through imitation and usually in only one or two words. Teachers and aides communicate with Daniel using a combination of picture symbols…

When most teachers hear the phrase "professional development," skepticism clouds their faces. But research-based professional development can provide interesting experiences and valuable content knowledge. The Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program, funded by the National Science Foundation, helps "facilitate professional development of…

Course management systems (CMSs) enable teachers to easily post assignments, lesson plans, announcements, and course documents. They also allow students to participate in online discussions and chats and turn in assignments online. Unfortunately, commercial systems are often expensive to purchase and maintain, removing them from the reach of many…

"Chemie im Kontext" (ChiK) is a project that aims at the improvement of chemistry teaching at secondary school in Germany. Based on a framework that was derived from theories and empirical data on the teaching and learning of science, science education researchers and teachers work together on learning communities to transform this…