This series of short essays considers the complex choices and decision-making processes of instructors preparing to teach, and continuing to teach, introductory courses in religious studies. In a paper originally presented in the University of Chicago's "The Craft of Teaching in the Academic Study of Religion" series, Russell McCutcheon…

Barriers to classroom participation for postsecondary students with disabilities are often addressed through accommodations via disability resource offices. However, the use of individualized accommodations as the sole method for resolving access barriers in the classroom is neither sustainable nor equitable. Furthermore, this somewhat flawed…

This article describes the process of replacing a modest Master's level school leader preparation program with an innovative Ed.D. program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The new doctoral program is intensive, highly selective, intellectually rigorous, and field-based. The authors provide side-by-side comparisons of the difference…

Using the wealth of sites available in the Chicago metropolitan area, online learning technologies, and classroom interactions, Roosevelt University's seminar "The Sustainable City" takes a multidisciplinary approach to urban ecology, waste management, green design, climate change, urban planning, parklands, water systems, environmental…

Bilingual education has taken center stage in Illinois with a new education mandate; many public preschools will be required to offer bilingual education to all three- and four-year-olds who do not speak English. Dual-language (DL) classrooms represent one very promising model in bilingual education that is being used to develop these new…

A study of ontask behavior in classrooms in an elementary school system is presented. Findings show that detailed classroom studies help determine instructional needs. (MD)

This publication contains current concepts, goals, and ideas relative to kindergarten education which district personnel in Illinois may wish to incorporate or reinforce in local kindergarten programs. Topics covered include (1) an introduction to the history, goals and orientation of kindergarten and the relation between kindergarten and child…

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the nature of planning and the influences on planning among intern and novice teachers in Illinois. Sixteen intern teachers and 15 novice teachers participated in reflections, focus group interviews, and individual interviews. In regard to the nature of planning, both intern and novice…

This booklet is designed to serve as a practical guide to assist teachers in using the Illinois Core Curriculum in Agriculture to develop courses of study for local vocational agriculture courses. Provided first is an overview of vocational agriculture programs on the secondary-school level in the state of Illinois. The next section is a guide for…

"Nobody wants to get one. Nobody wants to give one." The problem was that the supervisors and managers of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) did not know how to use the Institute's new performance management system and had not been trained on how to prepare and deliver effective performance appraisals. The problem further…

This article discusses an instructional development system called "holistic" approach, a strategy to improve high school education in Chicago. The initiative includes new curriculum materials, aligned to district standards, as well as assessments and ongoing teacher coaching and training that are designed for the curriculum. The design…

In 1991, the President of Illinois State University encouraged three Distinguished Professors, Drs. Dossey, Fitch, and Loepp (mathematics, science, and technology, respectfully), to establish an organization on campus called the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (CeMaST). The originators of CeMaST immediately conceived a plan to…

If small businesses are the engines of our economy, then entrepreneurs are the sparks that ignite those engines. This research report will explain how entrepreneurship education programs can help students create and establish their own business. The paper defines entrepreneurship education, outlines the major components of entrepreneurship…

This brief paper reports on recent workshops and conferences on faculty roles and responsibilities held as part of continuing efforts in the Illinois Board of Higher Education's Priorities, Quality, and Productivity initiative. Introductory paragraphs recall the establishment of the initiative and earlier events and efforts. A report on two…

Using collaborative critical reflection as an index, this study examines the asynchronous and face-to-face discourse of 28 suburban Chicago elementary teachers developing problem based learning (PBL) curriculum. Statistical analysis of the corpus produced by the 2 mediums shows that the asynchronous online network emerges as the medium of choice…