This study reports on the development and use of an analytical framework for interrogating the practice of newly qualified mainstream teachers recently graduated from a one-year Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) that was informed by a concept of inclusive pedagogy. Inclusive pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning that…

As we continue into the new millennium, it is imperative that educational institutions equip graduates with the knowledge and skills that are increasingly needed and valued by business and industry. In this article, the authors argue that the case study approach and, specifically, case study competitions constitute an ideal pedagogical strategy…

A problem-solving capstone course for mathematics and mathematics education majors can help majors synthesize material learned in the major, create a basis for lifelong learning in the discipline, develop confidence, and promote interest in graduate study. Such a course may also play a role in departmental assessment of the major. This article…

In the early 1990s, in an effort to enhance their majors' ability to communicate mathematical ideas, the Mathematics Department at Bellarmine University added a capstone course, "Readings in Mathematics," to the curriculum of each degree program in the department. We provide an overview of the course, noting its unique aspects, with…

Standards and accountability policies are central elements of school reform agendas aimed at equalizing students' access to quality education and closing the achievement gap. Yet, such policies have failed to yield the expected, large scale results. One explanation may be found in the embedded zones of wishful thinking. Two particular zones of…

In this "Fast Facts," a state has received Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge funds and is seeking information to inform the design of the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) validation study. The Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) responds that according to Resnick (2012), validation of a QRIS is an…

This article will seek to utilize Dr. William Allan Kritsonis' book "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" (2007) as a framework to improve a campus's standardized test scores, more specifically, their TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) scores. Many campuses have an improvement plan, also known as a Campus…

Librarians might remember that day, whether it was a month ago or over ten years ago. They may have asked themselves what they needed to know, how they should do it, how they could improve it, and, if change was needed, whether they could effect change with ease or would be met with opposition? Did they go in like lambs and become lions, or learn…

How are administrators leveraging the expertise and passion in their buildings? How do they inspire enthusiasm in their teachers and improve student achievement? How do they act as an agent for change? Those are the tasks the authors are given as instructional coaches. In the beginning, they were unsure how to tackle those tasks--or even if it was…

The California Collaborative on District Reform convened in Oakland for a two-day meeting, "Integrating Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning to Advance Equity and Achievement." The meeting explored methods to support and integrate academic, social, and emotional learning in K-12 education. Implementation efforts surrounding the…

The purpose of this case study was to explore faculty members' perceptions of the QEP in a public doctoral university with highest research activity. Particularly, the study explored how faculty members perceive the role of the QEP in student learning and institutional effectiveness, the relevance of the QEP activities in student learning and…

Regular participation in out-of-school time activities is associated with benefits for children. However, children cannot reap the benefits of program participation if they do not attend programs in the first place. This brief focuses on ways in which out-of-school time programs can improve the attendance and retention of children and youth in…

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), accredits Wyoming's seven community colleges. Institutional accreditation is a voluntary process that serves the critical purposes of quality assurance and institutional and program improvement. Colleges that are accredited by the HLC…

This report summarizes the results from new teacher surveys conducted in the Austin Independent School District during spring 2007. New teachers were asked about activities and support provided by their mentor teachers, their level of implementation of instructional practices, and their professional development needs.

In this update, Linton provides a report on what transpired during the invitational technical assistance training meeting for State adult correctional education programs titled "Making Data Work for You," which was hosted by the Department of Education a year ago. As a key part of that training, States shared their efforts to utilize…