This article discusses the effects of the Regional Technology Assistance Program (RETA) on the teaching practices and collegial behaviors of its participants and instructors. It presents findings that suggest that, as a result of their involvement in RETA's ongoing, peer-directed, constructivist-based professional development workshops, teacher…

This paper describes a model for connecting the constructs underlying strong Professional Development Schools (PDS) with the infusion of standards-based technology; a model that can be replicated cost effectively and efficiently for both schools and colleges. Manhattan College, New York, collaborated with IN-TECH, a newly developed middle school…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a project that addressed three challenges to improving outcomes for young children with disabilities: (1) a current and thorough synthesis of the knowledge base, (2) the effective translation and dissemination of this information for families, practitioners, and administrators, and (3) an…

In regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia, geographic and professional isolation take their toll on professionals, particularly in the first 5 years of practice. The attraction and retention of human service professionals and paraprofessionals in regional Australia is a significant problem affecting the sustainability and social cohesion…

This is an evaluation of the first 3 years of Project REALM (Reading English And Learning Mathematics), a project funded by Title VII. This project provides additional support to improve the quality of elementary education for new refugee students. Project REALM has 5 major objectives, including the following: (1) to increase participants' English…

Today, faced with the problems of global competition, increasing costs, and complex production engineering, a company can only be successfully managed if the employees are motivated and highly qualified. To cope with this demand the new educational scheme for cost-effective retraining, lifelong learning and distance education at the workplace…

This paper provides information about creating Professional Development Schools (PDSs) linked with university teacher preparation programs. It focuses on PDS programs in three regions of the United States at very diverse institutions, noting what has been learned from their experiences. All of the PDS partnerships in Towson University, Maryland's…

This paper examines the ways in which entities external to schools, in this case for-profit educational management organizations (EMOs), can influence the development of school professional community. Drawing on case studies of six charter schools operated by three EMOs, this paper examines the presence of the five elements of professional…

This study is an ongoing examination of the effectiveness of an online professional development course designed to examine the connection between learning theory and technology used to support learning in the classroom. The course was taught by three methodologies: a traditional face-to-face class that used the online materials as a resource; an…

This position paper of the American Federation of Teachers contends that the most fundamental responsibility of schools is teaching students to read. The paper states that the type of literacy instruction that includes a range of research-based components and practices has not made its way into every classroom, and that, indeed, a chasm exists…

The Lycoming County Literacy Project based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, examined both traditional and family literacy General Educational Development (GED) program participants to determine which programs produce the best results. GED test scores were collected from instructors teaching both traditional and family literacy GED participants. Test…

Ethics--in the form of knowledge and skill in making responsible professional decisions--is one of the most fundamental qualities of a competent early childhood educator. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) developed its Code of Ethical Conduct to promote the application of core values, ideals, and principles to…

This packet contains three papers from a symposium on developing employee competence. The first paper, "Coaching in Organizations: Self-Assessment of Competence" (Gary N. McLean, Min-Hsun [Christine] Kuo), reports on development and pilot-testing of an instrument to identify the developmental needs of managers and peers to function more…

This study examined preservice teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about their elementary language arts teaching after being prepared in a Professional Development School (PDS). Participants were preservice teachers in the first semester of their field-based senior year of teacher preparation, all of whom were placed in one of several PDS clusters.…

A case study analyzed Connecticut's state-level and district-level policies and practices related to its high level of reading achievement. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and Connecticut's statewide test were analyzed; state and local policies were identified through interviews. Results indicated: on the 1998…