The workshop is the most convenient and frequent means of inservice education. The purposes and types of social studies inservice workshops are examined, guidelines for effective planning and implementation are provided, and helpful hints and areas of caution designed to assist in conducting successful workshops are suggested. Six typical formats…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest explores the relationship between television viewing habits and reading achievement. The digest first examines recent research indicating a negative relationship between television viewing in excess of ten hours and reading performance. The digest next focuses on the…

This ERIC Digest examines: (1) research related to the teaching and learning of history in elementary schools; (2) purposes of education in history; and (3) teaching practices to develop interest in and knowledge of history among students in elementary schools. Levstik (1986) stated that social studies educators should apply the techniques of…

Continued, substantial migration of rural students to urban areas for work or further education can be expected, and preparing students for the move from rural to metropolitan areas is an important responsibility for educators. The differences between rural and metropolitan areas are significant, and appropriate preparatory activities in high…

Research has shown that students and teachers can benefit from structured in-school helping relationships in which peers assume formal roles as tutors. For the student in need of academic help, peer tutoring programs provide an opportunity to learn in a more nonthreatening environment than the classroom. Immediate feedback and clarification of…

This digest focuses on field instruction in school settings. Major areas considered include: (1) factors contributing to the paucity of field activities; (2) whether teacher commitment to the concept of field instruction exists; (3) research on affective-realm educational values of field instruction; (4) research on cognitive-realm educational…

In recent years, the role of the principal has become more critical in the success of schools. School improvement is often tied to principal performance, yet the practice of evaluating principal performance leaves a lot to be desired, according to some educators. This ERIC Digest reviews current principal evaluation practices and describes some…

In this digest, "career counseling" refers to activities intended to improve individuals' ability to make career decisions. Studies have shown that career counseling helps individuals as much as well-developed psychological, educational, or behavioral interventions. But more studies are needed to explain this phenomenon; this digest…

This digest describes faculty and staff development as crucial elements for institutional effectiveness and quality. These programs allow faculty to improve instructional material, keep abreast of new technology and methods, and network with colleagues. When change takes place, perhaps through reorganization, restructuring, or a change in…

This Digest addresses the question of what young children should be learning that will best serve their development and learning in the long term. Two major dimensions of development--normative and dynamic--are explored, and four categories of learning goals are discussed: (1) knowledge; (2) skills; (3) dispositions; and (4) feelings. The view…

The job hunt has changed significantly in recent years. The World Wide Web has become an important source for job information and career development. After deciding what type of job they are looking for, job seekers should identify their marketable skills and match those skills with available jobs. Job leads can be found through employment…

Second language (L2) computer-adaptive testing (CAT) is a technologically advanced method of assessment in which the computer selects and presents test items to examinees according to the estimated level of the examinee's language ability. The basic notion of an adaptive test is to mimic automatically what a wise examiner would normally do.…

The project described in this digest was designed with the belief that teacher professional growth can best be fostered through sustained collaborative inquiry between teachers and researchers. It set out to incorporate what is known about quality professional development with the special features necessary for meeting the needs of English…

Career exploration is a developmental stage identified by career development theorists and occurs typically during adolescents when boys and girls try out various work roles in part time work, volunteer work, or in school/community activities. This digest focuses on gender differences in the role of assessment in the exploration process. Girls…

The purpose of this digest is to describe school counselors' roles in the area of assessment through an historical review of testing in counseling, and to report on study findings regarding roles employers require school counselors to perform. Knowledge needed by counselors to obtain evidence, evaluate its usefulness, and interpret its meaning…