This paper focuses on school improvement processes in the context of weekly curricular-based teaching and learning activities outside the classroom -- known as "Draußenschule" or 'outdoor school' -- in three German primary schools. Qualitative interviews were conducted with three teachers two years after implementing the 'outdoor…

Despite the complexity of teaching, learning to teach in universities is often "learning by doing". To provide novice university teachers with pedagogic teaching knowledge and to help them develop specific teaching objectives, we created a structured, video-based, one-year training program. In focusing on the core features of…

Lesson Study can be viewed as a continuous development programme because it offers teachers support in an environment unlike other traditional continuous development programmes. In this study, 28 primary mathematics teachers were surveyed and 4 out of the 28 were interviewed to examine how they perceived Lesson Study as professional development.…

In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), one of the German states, catchment areas for part-time vocational schools were abolished in 2008. With the intention to foster competition between schools in order to improve school quality, training companies now may freely choose the school of their choice. NRW is the first German state to take this step. In the…

Our increasingly knowledge-based economy and business enterprises depend on education to produce experts who combine knowledge with depth of understanding. Current teaching methods produce students with superficial verbal and technical knowledge, but who may lack the insight of experts. To become experts, learners must have the opportunity to be…

Open-air schools represent one of the latest developments in public-school organization. They came as the result of a desire for better conservation of the health of those children who, by reason of a tuberculous affection, poor nourishment, or other debilitating conditions, were unable to profit physically and mentally by the life and work of…

No one would dispute the claim that teacher training in the university and training colleges has long been in urgent need of reform. Even so, nothing is getting done. However, there are some efforts made in North-Rhine/Westphalia, where a committee of experts has recommended a double package consisting of six semesters of specialized studies…

RAND Europe has performed a study for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This study aims to increase the understanding regarding the influence of societal developments and policy initiatives on the attractiveness and uptake of science and technology (S&T) in higher education. This study consists of an international…

RAND Europe has performed a study for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This study aims to increase the understanding regarding the influence of societal developments and policy initiatives on the attractiveness and uptake of science and technology (S&T) in higher education. This study consists of an international…