Small group discussions with Illinois State University freshmen to evaluate the integration of library instruction and technology training in a new gateway course found that students were confused about course purpose, that students received inadequate instruction in e-mail use, and that campus e-mail technology was inadequate to meet demands of…

The study examines relationships among variations in the implementation of participative decision making, instructional improvement, and student learning in 1 school district of about 3,300 students over 5 years. Findings support the conclusion that teacher participation in decision making is related to instructional improvement and better student…

Describes the development of a program in Connecticut that combined Web-based training with peer mentorship to improve technology integration in K-12 classrooms. Topics include prerequisites; program implementation; a nine-month pilot study; formative evaluation; mentor survey; summative evaluation; and the feasibility of this type of program for…

Although the Perkins Act was intended to expand access to vocational education for at risk populations and improve program quality, the regulatory and implementation process has done little to translate these goals into effective programs and services. This testimony presents findings and recommendations for reforming high school and postsecondary…

Describes how action research as a model for professional development helped teachers enrolled in a graduate course at the University of Nevada Las Vegas gain insight into the process of school change and provided them with opportunities to facilitate change involving the implementation of technology in specific school contexts. (Contains 26…

Examined the reported nature and consequences of teachers' joint work on the implementation of school priorities, educational innovation, and curriculum policy in three exemplary Canadian elementary schools. Found that instrumental use of knowledge and support for teacher decision making tended to be limited to information exchange, joint…

Focusing on the efforts of seven teachers involved in a mathematics curriculum reform program in three housing projects ("The Bricks") in Cleveland (Ohio), this article examines the contexts of reform. Cultural conflicts between students and teachers and barriers to full teacher commitment to reform hampered project implementation. (SLD)

This study used semistructured interviews to examine the views of 10 teachers in integrated preschool settings for young children with and without special needs concerning integrated program development and implementation at the early childhood level. Findings suggest considerable variation in conditions of implementation, with teachers…

Examined educational attitudes of 168 students and their parents in the first year of a primary level multiage program. Found that although the majority of parents and students considered the experience positive, their principal concern was that older students did not appear to be sufficiently challenged academically, suggesting the need for…

A modified cooperative learning methodology was implemented with 12 boys at a residential treatment center for oppositional adolescents. Despite their volatile behavior, limited self-control, deficient prosocial skills, and lack of group experience, they responded positively to the experience. The model is felt to effectively enhance cooperation,…

Shows that the inconsistencies in implementation of process strategies for reading and writing instruction by a first grade teacher participating in a three-year staff development program are a result of the lack of four components in the program: feedback, planning time, focus on one innovation, and consensus on school goals. (SR)

Information concerning implementation of Individualized Transition Plans (ITP) was collected from 46 states and analyzed to determine documentation used in transition planning, relationship between the ITP and Individualized Education Programs, age for beginning transition planning, individuals involved in transition planning, and issues addressed…

Twenty special educators who taught pupils with mild and moderate disabilities implemented curriculum-based measurement and were periodically assessed for accuracy and given corrective feedback. Analyses indicated that systematic observation and feedback were associated with improvement in accuracy, especially on more difficult aspects of…

Describes a small K-6 staff's restructuring plans for its predominantly Navajo student body. The case study, concerned with planning for nongraded classes, represents a lesson in how not to plan. Although some positive curricular changes have occurred, administrative leadership was perceived as ineffective, and staff neglected to plan for cultural…

Explores district leaders' roles in implementing a year-round schooling reform. Examines experiences of four Florida districts, stressing social, political, and fiscal contexts. Leaders promote innovation by acting humanely and openly, and by eschewing unfulfillable promises. Creating widespread support, being flexible, and crafting a climate for…