Background: Condensed courses, as opposed to semester-long courses, are an increasingly popular strategy to improve equity in higher education. With condensed courses, students focus on a smaller number of courses during seven- to ten-week terms (Gullatt, 2006; Zepeda & Mayers, 2006). Historically marginalized students may benefit because the…

In the 1950s and 1960s, students practiced ducking under their desks in case of an atomic bomb attack. We know that this was silly and provided no protection and many school practices that are popular today are equally silly. This book explores a wide range of what the authors label "duck and cover" policies--ideas that may have started…

In English for Specific Purposes (ESP) education, the synergy between autonomous learning, gamified Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platforms, and self-directed learning (SDL) frameworks is underexplored. Despite recognizing autonomous learning's significance in language education, there is a lack of in-depth analysis of their interaction within…

TransferBOOST (Bachelor's Opportunity Options that are Straightforward and Transparent) is a multi-year state-level initiative developed to provide students with affordable, quality, well-supported two- to four-year pathways. On average, 43 percent of credits are lost nationwide through the transfer process. Recognizing that today's students…

Part of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE) research series titled "Teachers' Time: Collaborating for Learning, Teaching, and Leading," this case study looks at Hillsdale High School, a large, comprehensive high school located in San Mateo, California, a high-tech enclave of Silicon Valley nestled 23 miles…

Part of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE) research series titled "Time Matters: Teacher Collaboration for Learning and Leading," this cross-case study and accompanying research brief were gathered as part of a larger study of four public schools across the United States that organized teacher time and work…

Many states have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which emphasize "deeper learning" skills, such as mastery of core academic content, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. But can the new tests being developed to align with the CCSS be used to promote deeper learning and high-quality classroom instruction?…

The Hewlett Foundation commissioned RAND to review research about the effects of assessment and to summarize what is known about assessment as a lever for reform. To explore the likely influence of new assessments on teaching practice and the conditions that moderate that relationship, researchers conducted a series of literature reviews. The…

Integral to school restructuring is the need to create time for school staff to participate in developing a vision, setting goals, formulating plans, training, and exchanging experiences. The use of time is both the object of and the chief impediment to change. The study surveyed educational literature, and business management journals,…

Some Kansas school administrators are spending less time in meetings and accomplishing more by (1) asking if a meeting is necessary; (2) being punctual; (3) stating the focus of the meeting; (4) limiting meetings to five to seven participants; (5) providing minutes; and (6) using team-based management. (MLF)

To make sure students' time in school is used efficiently and advantageously, some simple ways to improve time use are suggested. It is important to assess time use to ensure that a school schedules enough time for basics, is using learning time and teaching time well, and is not duplicating subject matter. (MD)

In school construction projects a great deal of work and planning needs to happen before ground breaking starts. Lists consistent factors that should always be considered when setting up a facility-design timeline. (MLF)

Eighteen suggestions are provided that might make life easier for the traditional president's spouse who plays a role of deep involvement in the life of the institution. They include: planning, developing a list of activities, being visible in the community, developing a personnel file. (MLW)

This review of recent empirical research on the effects of television on children and teenagers begins by examining the results of two surveys which were conducted to determine the opinions of experts in the field. A brief statement of the findings indicates that experts generally agree that television harms formal scholastic achievement while…

Outlines statistical data on national curriculum patterns. Fewer than two percent of all graduating seniors meet or exceed the standards for college-bound students. Includes statistical data on courses students study, number of students per computer, dropout rates, activities of graduates, and test score averages.(MD)