To investigate benefits and challenges to engage teacher candidates in Japanese lesson study, defined as a collaborative, reflective, and iterative teacher development process, we analyzed reflective papers submitted by 60 teacher candidates studying at an Ontario faculty of education, engaged 20 practicum associate teachers in a group discussion,…

In large introductory science courses at the postsecondary level, there is significant anecdotal evidence of traditionally underrepresented students disengaging from the lectures, resulting in withdrawals or failures. Because these science courses often fulfill graduation requirements and provide the students with broad introductions to basic…

In this study, the author investigated the creation of a community of learners in an under- graduate elementary music methods course. Participants included undergraduate students (n = 23) and a professor at a Midwestern liberal arts college. Data consisted of fieldnotes from class observations and interviews with the professor and students. The…

The claim by universities to be "international" has spread world-wide over the last two decades and this has been largely interpreted to mean the recruitment and support of international students. Little attention has been paid to what this means for curriculum development. This study was carried out to explore disciplinary…

Network learning supported by 21-century technology is reweaving the fabric of how educators acquire and create new knowledge. At the Alaska Educational Innovations Network (AEIN), educators believe this has the potential to change how a profession looks at professional development. They have learned that using technology to support networks…

This paper seeks to solve the labor shortage in the public accounting profession. It examines why people want to become CPAs, the influence of generational differences on career choices and considers methods to attract and retain CPAs that focus on attracting students, work-life balance issues and alternative work arrangements through career…

The Learning Communities Demonstration is a large-scale, random assignment evaluation of learning community programs at six community colleges. During the first year of the demonstration, all six colleges expanded their learning community programs and, in the process, faced similar challenges in selecting courses to link, recruiting and supporting…

This article describes how an effort to help two schools achieve high levels of teacher implementation of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) resulted in a deeper understanding of the true learning value of a sustained and committed partnership among university faculty, district personnel, and school-based educators. The…

As education continues to integrate technological advancements into learning and instruction, a resource dedicated to the latest findings and implications becomes necessary. This handbook provides academicians, researchers, and practitioners with a comprehensive view of the historical, conceptual, theoretical, and practical perspectives of…

This paper attempts to unpack the teaching and learning experiences of academics and students when a new way of teaching radiation physics was introduced. In an attempt to articulate the University of Wollongong's commitment to the enhancement of the teaching/research nexus and to the development of learning communities, staff of the School of…

"The Learning System" is a newsletter designed for superintendents and central office staff with professional learning responsibilities. This issue includes: (1) District Pulls Together in Pursuit of Excellence: Creating Collaboration Systemwide Requires Commitment (Valerie von Frank); (2) Scheduling Time for Teacher Learning Is Key for…

Despite the wealth of studies on smaller learning communities (SLCs), student voices are missing from the debate on high school reform. This article examines how students experience SLCs. A participatory research method, data-in-a-day was used to provide a systematic and inclusive method for gathering data on student perceptions. Data-in-a-day is…

It is a challenge for schools with large populations of students from low-income, migrant, and international families to ensure that every student reaches proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. Traditionally, schools across the country have tended to cope with this challenge by offering a…

School change efforts to develop schools as learning communities result in schools that are constantly learning and thus changing. This collective case study of four schools involved in a 4-year reform effort begins to examine the ongoing sustainability of a learning community. The study draws insights about the sustainability of learning…

In response to the critical shortage of qualified mathematics teachers in the U.S., the TIME 2000 Program was created with funds from the National Science Foundation, at Queens College of the City University of New York. Now institutionalized, the program is designed to support the recruitment, preparation, and retention of prospective teachers…