A study described the experiences of elementary educators who are attempting to implement a districtwide School-To-Work (STW) reform effort in the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Public Schools (MPS). The descriptions were derived from the first and second years of a 3-year evaluation of MPS's STW implementation plan. Data for the study were drawn from the…

Presented in a question-and-answer format, this guide is designed to answer the questions of persons who have agreed to become mentors for students in school-to-work programs. The guide answers the following 12 questions: (1) Why am I here? (2) What is mentoring all about? (3) What does mentoring have to do with School-to-Work? (4) Where do I fit…

This plan provides information on the efforts of Arizona's Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) to evaluate its effectiveness in achieving organizational mission and purpose. The plan contains the following information: (1) a discussion of EMCC's institutional effectiveness efforts to date, indicating that the college's Plan for…

Based on interviews with state administrators and local educators in four states that are actively implementing skills standards in secondary and postsecondary education, this report describes strategies for using industry skill standards to improve education. Following introductory materials, strategies are reviewed for overcoming obstacles to…

Because the disadvantages of technology implementation are not foreseen, they are often referred to as "unanticipated outcomes." Identifying side-effects is important because their negative effects are amplified when they arise without warning. This paper communicates the importance of unanticipated outcomes in educational technology settings,…

In February 1994 the San Diego (California) Board of Education adopted a policy to bring about a phased reduction in class size in all district schools. Resources were allocated to initiate Phase I of this plan, which called for limited class size in grades 1 and 2 at all elementary sites to 25.5 students. A formative review was undertaken to…

This handbook (prepared to assist charter school operators, state department of education personnel, and policymakers) reviews special education case law and legislation as well as pertinent issues that can guide charter school personnel, host or sponsoring districts, and state agency personnel in the implementation of special education in charter…

This guide, designed for principals, on-site leaders or administrators, describes the implementation of the "Actions for Health" series, a comprehensive elementary school (Grades K-6) instructional program for health education. The guide is organized into four sections. The first section, "The Principal's Role," describes the steps a principal is…

As the 21st century approaches, more students than ever need to be educated to higher levels so that they can: (1) compete successfully in the increasingly technological job market; (2) participate in the democratic system; and (3) develop strong moral and ethical values and the ability to reach their individual potentials. The new Program Quality…

This study investigated the constraints students in an alternative education program encountered when attempting to implement their individualized curricula in the Independent Study Program (ISP) at the University of Illinois. The study used in-depth interviews with an informant sample of 10 ISP students to gather data about curriculum…

Over the last 2 decades, education in Ontario, Canada, has undergone several changes, including an increased emphasis on process skills and the learning process itself. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the role of the secondary school department head in the change process, particularly in curriculum implementation, staff…

This study examined to what extent teachers who choose to take a course about cooperative learning implement the innovation and which factors account for variation in use of cooperative learning in their classrooms. Nine female elementary teachers were observed and interviewed. Teachers were categorized as effective users, competent users,…

A minicourse pilot project was designed by the Massachusetts Department of Education to meet the staff training and development needs of workplace educators in the National Workplace Literacy Program. During the course, various activities and group configurations were used to help teachers apply modeled approaches to their own teaching contexts,…

This report examines the choices involved in implementing distance education technology. As colleges and faculties develop distance learning courses, complications arise concerning how to control cheating, how to assure that students follow rules, how faculty loads will be calculated, how students and faculty will be allocated, and whether…

Most professionals in the field of educational technology have served as change agents; it is no accident that one domain in the current definition of the field specifies a sociological theory base linked to practice that includes diffusion, adoption, implementation and institutionalization of innovations. This paper emphasizes the implementation…