This chapter reiterates the need for attention to the journey of self-authorship and suggests next steps for institutions and educators.

Marzano (2003) identified 11 factors that positively influence student achievement. Those factors can be divided into three categories: school-level practices, teacher-level practices, and student-level characteristics. Interestingly, Marzano (2000) found that school- and teacher-level influences account for only 20% of the variance in student…

The exploration of alternative teaching and learning strategies such as those utilised in Supplemental Instruction (SI) is becoming increasingly important as students arrive at university less prepared for the rigors of higher education. Keeping these changes in mind, it is necessary to review the theories that inform our approach to ensure the…

Background/Context: The U.S. federal government has been interested in improving the performance of students who come from low-income homes since the time of Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" initiatives in the 1960s. The current administration strongly supports the belief that good schools can be created and has funded the Comprehensive…

Spirituality has received increasing attention as an area to be considered in counseling and college student development, but little has been written about specific interventions to address college students' spiritual needs. The authors present the format, content, and outcomes of an experiential group that was established to facilitate women's…

Evaluates four leadership development programs for minorities to determine what characteristics are most effective. Reports that programs offering the greatest possibility of bringing members into the mainstream are comprehensive education programs with an apprenticeship component that equips participants with both experience and an academic…

Formal programs covering the time young people are not in school (only 20 percent of the time) have burgeoned rapidly in the past few decades as a result of profound societal changes. Although the need of all children for out-of-school-time programs has not been met, millions of youngsters do participate in out-of-school-time programs sponsored by…

This paper is an attempt to respond to the need for workable procedures for assessing the effectiveness of programs and institutions in complex postsecondary education systems. Effectiveness is taken to mean the capacity of the institution to advance student development-academic, vocational, and affective. Four general strategies are outlined in…

Nine studies reporting child change data for nonhandicapped children participating in integrated preschool settings were analyzed in terms of methodology and specific classroom practices. The studies suffered from methodological weaknesses common to many early intervention efficacy studies. Documentation of child progress is only one measure of…

Participation in the Head Start program has had a favorable effect on the program participants in all of the major areas of development covered by the pupil rating instrument used in this assessment. (Author)

Lists several premises concerning drug education and prevention which form the basis for Skills for Growing, a Quest International program targeted at students in kindergarten through grade five. Program goals are listed, external and internal conditions envisioned by Quest are discussed, and positive social behaviors and commitments which are…

Describes briefly the School Development Program, a long-lasting school improvement movement. Discusses in particular a research project at Neal Middle School in Durham, North Carolina, that will demonstrate what and how much students learn between elementary school and high school. (SR)

A review of over 50 studies of afterschool programs conducted by The Afterschool Alliance suggests: (1) quality afterschool programs improved school attendance, engagement in learning, test scores, and grades; (2) frequency and duration of afterschool participation increases benefits; and (3) high-risk youth show the greatest benefits. This fact…

The purpose of this study, funded by Jobs for the Future through a grant to the Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office, was to: (1) provide an update on the status of developmental education within Massachusetts community colleges; (2) shed light on the alignment between research-based best practices to advance success among…

Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) is a competency-based approach to intervening with adolescents, particularly within the schools, who are experiencing emotional pain, psychological distress, or behavioral disruption in their personal lives. LSCI is used to help classroom teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, and other school staff to…