This report provides practitioners in the field of child and family services with important guidelines on early childhood education and family support programs including program design, community collaboration, funding, and staff management. The book presents the five main components of establishing an early childhood education and family support…

This paper outlines the history of Czech higher education, changes after the 1989 "Velvet Revolution," and possible future directions as the society as a whole adjusts to non-Soviet, democratic government. An early section describes the early development of higher education beginning with the founding of Charles University in 1348. The…

Teaching critical thinking is a relatively new dimension of bibliographic instruction (BI) in the academic environment. It marks a departure from the teaching of "user skills" in which the primary concern is enabling library patrons to determine the appropriateness of reference tools and to use those tools effectively. This report assembles a…

With respect to the college's information systems, there were three major challenges facing Ohio's Cincinnati Technical College (CTC) in 1991. The expanding use of personal computers (PC's) and non-integrated systems often duplicated efforts and data on CTC's existing computer systems, users were demanding more access to data and more integration…

This handbook points out that all teachers regardless of grade level, assignment, or years of experience, need mentoring, and that the first days of school are critical to how the rest of the year will unfold. The handbook is intended to help ease the way for those beginning or experienced teachers who need help with curriculum decisions,…

The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) serves as an example of how three specific problems of representativeness in a longitudinal study may be approached and overcome. NELS:88 was designed to provide longitudinal data about the educational transitions experienced by students as they leave eighth grade and move through high…

Action research is an approach to professional development and improved student learning in which teachers systematically reflect on their work, seek feedback from colleagues, and make changes in their practice. Several benefits of action research have been cited: (1) teachers investigate their own practice in a new way, looking at what children…

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

At the Futures Conference held by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 1995, discussants from inside and outside the NCES considered the commissioned papers and contributed their expertise. This volume assembles the papers and commentary and summarizes some considerations for policy, research, and practice in future operations of…

Many external factors will influence classrooms as the year 2000 approaches. This paper looks at a vision of what schools may look like in the year 2000, with classrooms where information will be accessed, processed, displayed, demonstrated, and communicated through multimedia. There will be two different types of classroom: the master classroom,…

Genuine educational reform depends on developing relationships with the home, community groups, politicians, and the business community (Seeley, 1981). This report is the third of three volumes that are products of a 3.5 year study of education reform, with a focus on the role of parent, family, and community involvement in the middle grades. The…

This report summarizes information and discussion from a 1993 workshop on the Summer Research Opportunities Programs (SROPs). These programs are designed to enhance doctoral research opportunities and mentoring for minority graduate students. The present publication is intended to serve as a guide for those wishing to develop or strengthen SROPs…

The Speech Department at New Jersey's Brookdale Community College conducted a study to determine if cooperative learning strategies could be effectively incorporated into a basic public speaking course to enhance student outcomes. The course was revised by reducing the number of speech performances and adding cooperative learning experiences.…

This report presents results from an April 1995 self-study of academic programs and support services in the vocational-technical and professional studies division at New Mexico State University's two-year branch campus at Carlsbad. College activities and outcomes are described for the following 12 programs and centers: pre-business, the Career…

A variety of materials and forms used in the development of vocational English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs for industry employees are provided, with little narrative information. They include: a list of criteria for teacher selection; forms for recording contacts with companies; a list of information sources and content areas and several…