Over the past six years, the authors have been project leaders for three distance education initiatives in Cape Verde and Mozambique: (1) a blended learning master's degree in multimedia in education for faculty in Cape Verdean public higher education institutions (2005-2008); (2) a teacher training programme for 1375 elementary teachers provided…

The present study aims at showing the effectiveness of a suggested training program for staff members at Teachers' College of King Saud University to develop their skills of using virtual classrooms. The research is empirical as it used two experimental groups. The first group is taught how to use the common teaching method and the second group is…

Participation in after-school programs (ASPs) "can" positively affect the development of young people. However, "whether" ASPs are beneficial depends on program quality. Although many factors influence the quality of a program, the competencies of adult staff who lead ASPs are a critical determinant. Unfortunately, ASP staff…

The article introduces the reader to a special issue of "NHSA Dialog" that focuses on the professional development (PD) of early childhood educators. The article opens with a perspective from a historical lens, namely that of PD in K-12 education and the evolution of Learning Forward, formerly the National Staff Development Council. The recently…

Preparation of high quality personnel to provide educational services to students with disabilities living in rural areas is, at best, challenging. Findings from a comprehensive study concerning the status of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in rural settings and the issues such implementation presents…

While state leaders understand the value of professional development, they also need to consider the costs. Such costs are some of the most difficult to calculate. If state leaders are going to pony up for improving the instructional skills of teachers and principals, they want to know that their dollars are well-spent. The same can be said for…

An inservice model for school personnel was designed and used in 181 school systems in Kentucky. The model consists of seven time-specific phases and four generic activities that apply to each of the phases. The time phases are: (1) preliminary planning; (2) needs assessment; (3) goal and objective setting; (4) task, activity, and resource…

Use of state funds for individual faculty and departmental improvement in the public junior colleges is discussed in terms of a planning philosophy, a plan description, and approaches to implementation. (JO)

This booklet is designed to assist the teacher center director in the development of an effective and efficient staff team and subsequently an effective teacher center. It outlines successful management techniques and relates them to the specific needs of a teacher center staff. Guidelines are presented for: collaborative inservice activities…

Teachers' professional improvement programs mustbe individualized according to the teacher's self-assessment of the problem and provide for self-involvement in the improvement process. (MW)

Louisiana's Educational Employees' Professional Improvement Program (PIP) is described. The voluntary statewide program features: (1) use of individual professional development plans submitted by school staff participants; (2) a combination of academic work, inservice training, workshops, and conferences over a five-year period; and (3) salary…

An effective inservice teacher education program was found to have the characteristics of: (1) immediate applicability to the classroom; (2) use of teacher input; (3) curriculum change and innovation; and (4) provisions for ongoing, continuous evaluation. (JN)

A review of the literature concerning the effectiveness and quality of staff development programs focuses on factors that affect the success of such programs. These factors include: individual concerns, training activities, applications, qualifications of consultants, scheduling, strategies, facilities, feedback, collaboration, and outcomes. It is…

Briefly describes the national Head Start Teaching Center model, the implementation of this model in the New England region, the outcome evaluation plan, and results from the first year of training. Finds that training significantly increased trainees' knowledge, skills, and expertise. (EV)

This paper describes the Rural Teaching Effectiveness Network, created to overcome difficulties associated with offering staff development experiences in rural Maryland. The long distances often required to attend staff development activities can discourage rural teachers' commitment. Similar problems exist in creating standards of professional…