This paper discusses the features of the Soviet higher education system that have been crucial to the formation of the current system and then focus on the main changes that it has endured in the past 20 years. We pay special attention to the current challenges in the sphere of higher education and the counter-measures taken by the government and…

There has been much research and discussion on the principles of standards-based grading, and there is a growing consensus of best practice. Even so, the actual process of implementing standards-based grading at a school or district level can be a significant challenge. There are very practical questions that remain unclear, such as how the grades…

This study analyzes the work being done in Long Beach Unified School District for newly credentialed teachers who are unemployed. The new induction law requires new teachers be contracted to teach in a local district before they can participate in induction. However, budget cuts reduced the number of available jobs and increased the number of…

The author, a longtime teacher and principal, levels harsh criticisms against the English/language arts standards of the Common Core State Standards. Some standards call on young children to behave like high school seniors, making fine distinctions between words or literary devices, carrying on multiple processes simultaneously, and expressing…

The NCTM Algebra Standard suggests that students use technology to explore the effects of varying the parameters in y = ax2 + bx + c. This article discusses an extension of this task that incorporates dynamic geometry software to engage students in generating, testing, and proving mathematical conjectures.

Widespread technical failures and interruptions of recent online testing in a number of states have shaken the confidence of educators and policymakers in high-tech assessment methods and raised serious concerns about schools' technological readiness for the coming common-core online tests. The glitches arose as many districts in the 46 states…

This module assumes that the information presented in previous modules is well known to the learner. Module 5 is the second of three modules (4, 5, and 6) designed to provide an in-depth look at the Standards of Mathematical Practice which are part of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Module 5 focuses on how the practices connect to…

This module assumes that the information presented in previous modules is well known to the learner. Module 4 is the first of three modules (4, 5, and 6) designed to provide an in-depth look at the Standards of Mathematical Practice which are part of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Module 4 focuses on developing an initial…

What do K-12 schools need to do to prepare their students for adult success? This was the question that originally catalyzed the standards-and-accountability movement some 30 years ago, though it seems somehow to have gotten lost. Today the question merits revisiting, because addressing it makes a strong case for taking an integrated approach to…

This report examines how technology and automation are changing the job market -- and what states can do to prepare adults for the new workplace. It analyzes shifts from low- to middle-skills jobs, details current education levels, and offers recommendations for retooling adult education programs.

This paper elaborates on innovations which have been effected in universities in Nigeria, using a somewhat young university as a paradigm. The innovations discussed include private ownership of universities, innovative funding strategies and innovative quality assurance practices. These include innovative planning (strategic planning); innovative…

A team of science teacher educators working in collaboration with local elementary schools explored opportunities for science and engineering "learning by doing" in the particular context of urban elementary school communities. In this article, the authors present design task that helps students identify and find solutions to a…

This article uses documentary evidence to review debates on spoken language and learning in the UK over recent decades. It argues that two different models of talk have been at stake: one that wishes to "correct" children's spoken language and another than encourages children to use talk to learn and represent their worlds. The article…

The new ACRL "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education" brings a new emphasis into our instruction on student metacognition and dispositions. In this article I introduce self-regulated learning, a related concept from the field of education; it encompasses metacognition, emotions, motivations and behaviors. I discuss how…

Recent research on teacher professional development (PD) underscores the importance of the coherence of PD with standards, curriculum, and assessment. Teachers' judgments of the coherence of PD with larger system goals influence their decisions about what ideas and resources they appropriate from PD. Little research, however, has examined how…