Most recent initiatives to improve teaching may be characterized as top-down, compliance-oriented policies that seek to increase accountability and regulate different aspects of the profession. Little regard has been paid to the development of assistance programs at the state level that aim at building capacity among teachers and local school…

Maryland's decade of experience in providing programs for gifted and talented students indicates that response to the needs of such students has been strongest when federal, state, and local policy and financial commitments were complementary. The notion that federal financial support is not necessary and may even be counterproductive is…

A study of the federal role in the advancement of lifelong learning focused on the probable impact of a federally supported lifelong learning system and the existing educational system on one another. The conditions and parameters of the following claim were examined: any lifelong learning enterprise initially funded by the federal government…

The problems confronting educators attempting to develop and implement competency based education (CBE) programs at the secondary and post secondary levels are indeed challenging. There is no uniformity with regard to key elements in competency based programs, such as educational goals, curriculum, institutional environment, pedagogical…

The key to successful development and adoption of new educational programs and practices is careful orchestration of several variables: administrative support, faculty involvement, administration and faculty commitment, and staff development activities. A chronological process involving programatic and political aspects for planned change is…

An intensive study of innovative projects in five elementary and secondary schools provided an opportunity to examine teacher participation in pre-implementation activities. Particular attention was paid to the motivation and roles of participants. It was found that participation is complex and varied. There were three major findings: (1)…

In 1971 the Appalachian Community Service Network (ASCN), a non-profit community service network, headquartered in Washington, D.C., with broadcast facilities in Lexington, Kentucky, began to beam teacher education courses via satellite to teachers at 45 community receiving sites located in 13 states throughout the Appalachian region. The project…

The early development, prebroadcast research, early production concepts, formative research, summative research, evolution of production, and promotion and outreach activities of "The Electric Company" (TEC) are presented. Conclusions discuss (1) the uncertainty of the future of TEC despite its success and positive reception as an…

THIS ADDENDUM TO A REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM TO TEACH AND INTERRELATE ARTS AND HUMANITIES INSTRUCTION THROUGH THE USE OF EXTENSIVE RESOURCES, INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS, AND ADVANCED EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY OUTLINES THE ACTIVITIES AND GOALS OF THE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED PLANNING STAGE OF THE PROGRAM AND OF THE PILOT (1967-68) AND…

A history of Canada's Atlantic Institute of Education (AIE) is given, including a description of the social environment that created the need for such an institution. Educational reform programs for teacher education, special education, and counselor education sponsored by AIE are described. The central use of educational research in AIE programs…

The state of the art in the implementation of education innovation is assessed in three parts: (1) the identification of promising theories, important issues, and proven implementation strategies with emphasis on practical implications; (2) a review of research directly related to the development and implementation of new occupational education…

The purpose of this report is to describe the present education system in Spain as it relates to lifelong education. The report identifies criteria and methodological problems in educational planning aimed at transforming school systems along the lines of lifelong education. It then describes how these principles have been incorporated in the…

This 1979 supplemental update of "Operation Resource: Abstracts of Current Curriculum Development Activities in Industrial Arts Teacher Education" contains twenty-six two-page abstracts, each including title of activity, department/division, institution/organization, city and state, director(s) of activity, dates initiated and concluded,…

To provide background material for those interested in tele-communication in education and for those planning to implement such programs in their schools, a research study was conducted to gather information from a variety of sources including educational and technical experts, conference participation, visits to schools conducting projects, and…