McGrath presents a prototyping proposal to better classify character education programs. He proposes 7 key elements that can facilitate identifying more and less typical programs. This proposal appears to be a very good start for improving the organization of the character education field and facilitating research. This commentary highlights 4…

The school library profession has begun to develop a reputation for tech-savviness. Several school librarians are nationally recognized technology leaders and present at conferences where instructional technology is at the forefront. Unfortunately, while school librarians have done a wonderful job of marketing their technological expertise in the…

This article is part of the dialogue on human performance technology (HPT) models that began in the October 2011 issue of "Performance Improvement." In 1996, the author shared a new HPT model with "Performance & Instruction" readers. Since then, he has refined the model and added empirical research. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the…

This commentary is part of an ongoing dialogue that began in the October 2011 special issue of "Performance Improvement"--Exploring a Universal Performance Model for HPT: Notes From the Field. The performance improvement/HPT (human performance technology) model represents a unifying process that helps accomplish successful change, create…

In March 1978, under the suggestion of Chinese-born Nobel Prize laureate Tsung-Dao Lee, China launched its first gifted education program at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Based on nominations and interviews, 21 gifted students aged 11-16 were enrolled in USTC and comprised a special class. Five years later, the early…

The Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) at the University of Chicago was founded in 1990, two years after the passage of the Chicago School Reform Act that decentralized governance of the city's public schools. Since then, CCSR has distinguished itself as a unique organization, conducting research of high technical quality that is…

Scotland's new "Curriculum for Excellence" (CfE) has been widely acknowledged as the most significant educational development in a generation, with the potential to transform learning and teaching in Scottish schools. In common with recent developments elsewhere, CfE seeks to re-engage teachers with processes of curriculum development,…

Six problems in developing effective career education programs for gifted, creative, and talented children are identified and possible solutions are presented. (PHR)

Challenges the "reductive" two-phase description of Writing across the Curriculum programs. Notes that Phase I has usually been described as expressivist, while Phase II has been described as social constructionist. Suggests that this inattention to intellectual traditions leaves the movement vulnerable to attack. Proposes an…

Military child care has not always been a model system. The services were inconsistent, many programs had serious deficiencies thus were failing to meet basic health and safety standards, and caregivers were poorly trained and poorly paid. However, in the late 1980's, the Government Accounting Office exposed the seriousness of the situation.…

It is time to institutionalize the Peace Corps in much the same way that the ROTC programs have become a permanent educational fixture in American life. High school graduates would compete for scholarships and would be sworn in for 4 years in the Peace Corps after college graduation. (MLW)

This paper focuses on the real and theoretical usefulness of a computer-based career development system in a career planning program, based on a 2-year pilot program evaluating the DISCOVER system. The system overview discusses components and contents of DISCOVER, and describes the 11 modules which assist users in learning about their values,…

Suggests that insights from the discipline of literary theory can generate new agendas for the study of foreign literature. A detailed description is provided of a foreign language and literature program at Michigan Technological University, including its implications for intercultural studies and film. (JL)

This paper provides a rationale for studies of educational program implementation and offers a causal model for program evaluation emphasizing pupil-related variables that intervene between program implementation and outcome variables. The rationale is followed by a discussion of implementation as an evaluation construct. Process, independent…

Examines recent trends in general education, discussing its importance, definitions of general education, and its inconsistent status. Provides three examples of successful general education programs, as well as an ideal model for a community college program. (AYC)