Information on basic skills improvement programs is provided through a review of research findings concerned with the factors determining quality education. These factors fall into four key areas: (1) the classroom--use of time, classroom climate/control, teacher behaviors, student behavior, organization of instruction; (2)…

Presents American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages guidelines, intended to serve a program development function, for the preservice preparation of foreign language teachers, focusing on the areas of personal, professional, and specialist development; communication skills; acquisition; leadership; child development; curriculum…

This case study identifies key barriers for staff on the path to an e-University and suggests ways to unlock them. The focus of the evidence-based research is an e-University pilot development in virtual learning in progress at the University of Greenwich (England). Documentary evidence for the study included feedback from 12 sub-projects in the…

Interest in educational reform is a side benefit of recent school criticism. Unfortunately, where the cause of educational failure is understood to be teachers, educational reform has become teacher reform, which most often means that greater effort will be placed on controlling teacher behavior. (LC)

Shadow netWorkspace (SNS) is a web application system that allows a school or any type of community to establish an intranet with network workspaces for all members and groups. The goal of SNS has been to make it easy for schools and other educational organizations to provide network services in support of implementing a learning community. SNS is…

A study identified four principles, based on transfer of learning research and cognitive theory, for guiding curricular decisions, instructional development, and teaching practices in ways that support transferable learning. The principles were as follows: (1) emphasize intermediate-level knowledge in curricular decisions; (2) create in the…

Research for Better Schools studied regional educational service agencies (RESA's) to learn how they contribute to school improvement activities. This report outlines the variety of training and assistance services that RESA's provide to local school districts. Identifying two important conditions in the delivery of these services--trust and the…

The Systems Approach Model (SAM) is a dynamic approach to planning adult and continuing education that is intended to provide the flexibility, creativity, and meaningfulness necessary to meet the needs and interests of an ever-expanding and ever-aging student population. The SAM model consists of the following dynamically interrelated and…

Drawing from an extensive literature review and interviews with faculty and administrators in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), this study report examines successful practices in basic skills instruction in community colleges. After providing background on the importance of basic skills programs in light of the increasing number…

Change is more advantageous if it incorporates an entire society rather than an element of that society, and the goals of educational development will be most fruitfully realized with a minimum of harmful effects if programs of instructional development are made to focus on the entire culture, rather than on a single social institution. A systems…

The Corpsmember Training Institute (CMTI) is a three-week living and learning experience for all new Teacher Corps Interns and Team Leaders. The first CMTI planning process is documented in this report. The first chapter serves as an overview of the planning process. It provides a brief description of the sequence of planning events, and discusses…

Discusses the assessment center approach to employee selection and describes its background, history and use, methodology (including simulation and observation), and possible applications, including its use in a professional certification program for instructional/training designers. (MBR)

This companion volume to a previous work focusing on the Big6 Approach in elementary schools provides secondary school classroom teachers, teacher-librarians, and technology teachers with the background and tools necessary to implement an integrated Big6 program. The first part of this book explains the Big6 approach and the rationale behind it.…

Describes the development of an interactive videodisc in a graduate course at the University of Iowa. Procedures in an instructional development model are explained, time and cost factors in the design and development of interactive video are discussed, and guidelines are presented for interactive video production. (Author/LRW)

The Parent Outreach Program in Toronto, Ontario, was developed to assist parents in home teaching of children with developmental delays. The program uses computers in direct service delivery, for assessment of adaptive behavior and goal attainment, development of teaching activities, and telecommunications. (JDD)