This article reports on the growth of blogs in popular culture, and the fact that they are becoming more widely accepted in the media industry. The rise and popularity of blogs--short for "Web logs"--are causing journalism educators to overhaul their teachings. In fact, blogging's influence varies from one university program to the next, just like…

Of the many opportunities available upon graduating, most turfgrass management/turfgrass science students seek assistant golf course superintendent positions. By tradition, faculty are responsible for preparing graduates to serve as capable assistant superintendents. Moreover, faculty are queried for guidance on how to best compete for these…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community College Count, this issue of "Data Notes" is the first of a two-part series investigating the characteristics of late stop-outs--students who accumulate at least 30 credits within the first two years, only to stop out without completing credentials or transferring. Seventy-five percent of…

Several national trends are converging to impact adult education today. First, the increasing presence of adults in higher education is accentuated by the expansive Baby Boom generation who are demanding greater access to the higher education system in the United States. Second, regarding workforce and economic development in the 21st century,…

Mounting pressure in the policy arena to improve teacher productivity either by improving signals that predict teacher performance or through creating incentive contracts based on performance--has spurred two related questions: Are there important determinants of teacher productivity that are not captured by teacher credentials but that can be…

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) sent a research team to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) on October 23-24, 2008, to conduct interviews with individuals who play important roles in the university's teacher preparation program. These interviews, along with additional documentation provided by UNCG and identified by…

This article is a critique of the article by Robin Perry in this issue that describes a study in Florida to compare supervisor and peer performance evaluations of child welfare staff. An overview of prior studies related to the importance of the social work degree is provided. Subsequently, selected technical, design issues, and results in the…

This article is a formal response to those that authored critiques of the author's research. Each author has provided a thoughtful and critical perspective highlighting the perceived merits and demerits of the research questions posed, theoretical assumptions underlying the inquiry, study design and methodology, and interpretations garnered from…

On August 1, 2006, Hawaii state educational and policy leaders participated in the Hawaii Education Forum to discuss ways to improve student transition from high school to postsecondary education and careers. The forum was sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and supported…

In this report, three specific questions guide the analyses that follow: (1) To what degree has the School District of Philadelphia upgraded the teaching credentials of its teachers? (2) How well has the district succeeded in reducing teacher attrition and increasing the experience level of its workforce? (3) Have district efforts since the state…

This 2007-2008 manual, "Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program," has been approved by the British Columbia Minister of Education on July 18, 2007 for the purpose of setting out graduation requirements. The handbook outlines procedures for efficiently sharing student data between schools and the Ministry of Education, and…

California and the rest of the United Sates are undergoing significant challenges in providing educational opportunities for an increasingly diverse population. These challenges include inadequate literacy and numeracy skills among large segments of the student and adult populations; an ongoing shift in the demographic profile of the population,…

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…

Focusing on Child Development Associates (CDAs), this third national CDA report examines whether CDAs have benefited from the increased activity at the federal, state, and local levels to enhance the status of child care providers. The following questions were asked: (1) What changes or consistencies are there among CDAs?; (2) What has been the…

Certification of professional counselors is presently viewed in two realms, that of state regulation and of national voluntary credentialing. This digest considers national voluntary certification. The first national certification began in 1972; in 1983 the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) began certification for general practice…