This reference volume shows the educational certificates, diplomas and degrees and required documentation for various levels of higher education study in nations around the world other than the United States. Organized first by country with the countries listed alphabetically, the information is presented in columns with the first column listing…

According to recent research, from Ivy League universities to community colleges only between 10% and 20% of students receive grades lower than a "B-," while the most frequently given grade is an "A." Causes of this grade inflation can be found in students' objections to receiving "D's" and "F's" after paying high tuitions and even the…

Noting that Alberta's education system must focus on what all students need to learn in order for them to participate in an economy and a society undergoing fundamental changes, this handbook reflects the initiatives and directions outlined in the business plan for the future of education in Alberta. All changes to Alberta Education requirements…

This report expands on earlier research that found evidence of strong links between school restructuring and improved learning among students in the first 2 years of high school. This report, based on 1992 National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) data, analyzes data collected for most of the same students in their last 2 years of high school.…

A study was done to evaluate the initial impact of the 1993 Further and Higher Education Charter for Scotland which sets out a framework for the standards of service that students, employers and members of the community can expect from universities and colleges. The main focus of the evaluation was the degree of awareness of the Charter among…

This theme issue, devoted to the relationship between language, culture, and identity, contains three articles, all by Anne Turnbaugh Lockwood, and a commentary by Florence L. Johnson. The first article, entitled "The Heart of Culture," reports on an interview with Henry T. Trueba, an educator specializing in the roles of language, culture, and…

Providing guidance to language arts teachers and those responsible for curriculum development, this handbook provides a model competency-based language arts program that provides direction for Ohio school districts in developing local competency-based educational programs. The model includes the following for grades 1 through 12: (1) a model…

This document contains excerpts from the Code of Virginia, "Standards of Quality for Public Schools in Virginia." It outlines state requirements in the following areas: basic skills, selected programs, and instructional personnel; support services; accreditation and evaluation; literacy passports and criteria for diplomas and…

This publication provides information to art educators, administrators, and concerned citizens regarding new national standards in education. A massive reform effort is taking place that requires strengthening areas and uses the "Visual Arts Standards" as a basis for five areas: (1) developing state frameworks, local curriculum, and teacher…

The momentum of Outcome Based Education (OBE) appears to be growing. This paper presents an overview of OBE and its prospects for successful educational change. Successful implementation requires 3 to 5 years; the involvement of administrators and staff in the development process; the use of a top-down approach; alignment of all areas with one…

There is, among some groups in America today, a sense of urgency about educational reform. This publication summarizes the proceedings of the 1996 National Education Summit held in Palisades, New York. Governors and business, education, and community leaders met to initiate a national effort to establish high academic standards, assessment, and…

Two reports concerning the education of limited-English-proficient students are presented. The Task D160 report presents information on current and planned state certification requirements for bilingual education and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers, and the ways in which these requirements address or do not address the challenge of…

In today's schools, the pervasiveness of assessment has often distorted teaching and learning through testing, examining, and short-term memorizing. Learning to cope with examinations has become almost as important as the learning itself. This report is the third in a series of publications derived from the Centre for Educational Research and…

This digest considers the use of performance assessment within outcomes-based accountability systems for students with and without disabilities. Application of performance assessment to students with disabilities involves defining the outcomes, developing performance standards, developing assessment accommodations, and scoring. Implications of…

A study examined whether student-constructed grading criteria complicate or reduce teacher or programmatic standards and determined whether written criteria actually drive students' writing and revising processes. Published criteria for evaluating compositions in 22 college and university writing programs across the nation were analyzed. In terms…