This fall, the nine states that finished as runners up in last year's groundbreaking Race to the Top competition will have an opportunity to reapply for a grant. The winners will receive a combined $200 million to help implement the bold education reform plans they developed last year. Many of the eligible states already have clear roadmaps toward…

Two years ago, the rapid retirement of the "baby boomer artisans" in vast numbers threatened to erode the competitiveness of Japanese manufacturers (i.e., the 2007 problem). This study proposes a practical process for extracting skills and designing a training system, to accelerate the learning of skills in production fields by younger…

Several contexts and themes of professionalism are considered including the nature of "professional issues," professionalism, and writing about professional issues. The professional issues discussed are the socio-political and cultural contexts, systems, employment, career development, relationships with other professionals, and the self. Next, I…

The topics outlined here have been developed to complement the policies and methodologies outlined in the professional development framework for e-learning. They include: (1) a core topic: e-learning fundamentals; (2) pedagogically based practitioner topics; (3) specialist e-learning developer topics; and (4) leadership topics (developed by the…

The "Child Care Bulletin" is published quarterly and includes practical, informative articles based on current literature regarding topics important to policy-makers, child care providers, and parents. The Bulletin includes short articles, tips sheets, policy updates, interviews with leaders in the child care field, information from child…

This report outlines a system-wide framework for monitoring the literacy development of children in preschool through second grade. Specific early literacy assessment instruments and instructional approaches are not suggested. Instead, the report focuses on some of the essential elements of an assessment system intended to monitor the progress of…

To assess educational needs in the Pacific region, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) identified 9 general education areas to be examined through 47 survey items. These items were presented as a questionnaire to educators in the region served by PREL, which includes American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,…

In a study conducted in two large school districts, 279 educational administrators expressed a strong desire for training in the major areas of educational leadership that were assessed: (1) the principalship; (2) problem solving; (3) planning for school growth; (4) personal awareness; (5) staff development; (6) long-range planning; and (7) the…

The Web Resource Collaboration Center (WRCC) is a web-based tool developed to help software engineers build their own web-based learning and performance support systems. Designed using various online communication and collaboration technologies, the WRCC enables people to: (1) build a learning and professional development resource that provides…

By employing a new system perspective, the uses of technology in three school districts are examined. Problems with lack of equipment, professional development, and funding in New York City and San Diego (CA) schools are discussed. The experiences of the Iowa City School District illustrate that growth of the human and work-process infrastructure…

The Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) is the most comprehensive reform legislation nationally, bringing substantial change to all levels of the educational system. A group of researchers who have spent time in schools in Kentucky and policy analysts knowledgeable about Kentucky and other state education reform efforts convened in October 1992…

This paper reports on some early findings from an assessment of the impact of mathematics and science reforms in Chicago, Illinois, Memphis, Tennessee, Miami, Florida, and El Paso, Texas. These reforms have been part of the National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Reform program. Standards-based curriculum and instructional approaches with a…

The authors describe the changes in curricula and methods of instruction for engineers in the twenty-first century. These changes and those related to the structure of the educational system are described as responses to the energy situation in America. (SA)

This paper presents several brief papers about the process of systemic change. These are: (1) Step-Up-To-Excellence: A Protocol for Navigating Whole-System Change in School Districts by Francis M. Duffy; (2) The Guidance System for Transforming Education by Charles M. Reigeluth; (3) The Schlechty Center For Leadership In School Reform by Monica…

The purpose of the meeting summarized in this report was to provide participants an opportunity to share information on their school-community collaboratives, discuss successful strategies and ways they have overcome barriers, and address significant other issues related to interagency collaboration. Fifteen school and agency…