Because staff development is the most important factor in advancing the middle school philosophy, administrators should take special care to make inservice activities meaningful. In a recent informal survey, 58 middle school teachers with varying degrees of experience and expertise identified adolescent development, interdisciplinary teaming, and…

Controversy over attempts to establish a needle and syringe exchange scheme in New York City (1985 to 1991) as an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention measure are described. These efforts highlight several political and social pitfalls in AIDS prevention. (SLD)

The Vocational Education to Work model is a system of communication and support between vocational and special educators, designed to train students with disabilities in mainstreamed vocational education. The model's four sequential components include active recruitment, guided placement, continuing support, and job placement followup.…

A one-month subspecialty outpatient clinic program for third-year medical students is described. The clerkship featured high volume (60-70 patients) clinical practice, library research (12 short papers), and close mentor supervision. Pre- and posttest scores did not distinguish participants from others, but participants later reported improved…

A discussion of college student leadership retreats looks at the factors that should be considered in planning a retreat. These include the physical environment of the site, establishment of norms and expectations for the group, and demographic and personal characteristics of the participants that are likely to affect group interaction. (MSE)

Dissemination approaches of the U.S. Department of Education are explored in the context of federal efforts to recognize the best, considering relatively systematic approaches to recognition and the five vulnerable evaluation areas of (1) undefined universes; (2) noncomparable goals; (3) identifying reproducible conditions; (4) saturation; and (5)…

After describing inadequacies of current U.S. Department of Education funding strategies in identifying and sharing the best of research and development, this article outlines an alternative vision centered on using evaluation to guide replication. How to overcome constraints in implementing this vision for federal education leadership is…

Today's school counselors are educated and trained in knowledge- and skill-based programs that emphasize counseling, guidance, consultation, coordination, and referrals. Counselors address three categories of student needs (social/personal, educational, and career) and tackle tough problems that interfere with the learning process.…

This qualitative study examined transition-related practices at one school and their effects on experiences of secondary students with learning disabilities. Findings indicated utilization of some literature-identified best practices including vocation-related activities, instruction in self-determination skills, and such planning activities as…

Traces the lifecycle of the Primary Science Programme (PSP), 1983-99, a representative South African nongovernmental organization. Shows how the social and economic environment shaped PSP development and demise. Highlights tensions between quality versus quantity, subject versus holistic focus, and participatory versus authoritarian management…

A mortgage services company conducted a cost benefit analysis of a computer-based training program for its payment application process. A test group showed a 21% increase in speed of making payments, an 81% increase in accuracy, a reduction of average training time by nearly 65%, and improved morale. Program design, development, authoring, and…

This article provides an overview of an after school program one school implemented that included gifted middle school students as peer tutors for those who needed additional outside help and support. The development, design, objectives, and positive outcomes of the Homework Helpers program are described. (Contains references.) (CR)

Examines the status of Tech Prep in the North Carolina Community College System and compares the attitudes of senior administrators and faculty toward Tech Prep programs. Discusses four research questions regarding college and faculty involvement in Tech Prep and finds that, in most cases, it has not yet made substantial changes within community…

Concerns about health care costs and quality are focusing increasing attention on physicians and their continuing medical education (CME). These concerns have produced several calls for "a new definition," "a new vision," "repositioning," "reinventing," and "transforming" CME. However, differences in conceptualizations and vocabularies have…

Universities continue to attract growing numbers of international students, so addressing how teachers deal with cultural diversity in the classroom has become increasingly important. This paper outlines the development of a program aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of teaching a university business course in the multicultural classroom.…