Guides child care centers when investing in outdoor play structures and playground equipment with advice provided by manufacturers and dealers. Details six factors to consider, including appropriateness, construction, installation, safety, support, and experience. Contains a playground equipment manufacturers and dealers directory that includes…

Describes the evolution of the Vermont state-mandated system of prospective teacher evaluation by portfolio and examines the Middlebury College (Vermont) portfolio design and its effect on restructuring of teacher preparation programs, the student teacher practicum, and professional relationships with cooperating teachers. (SM)

Responds to Hiebert's 1994 article in Educational Researcher in which she criticized Reading Recovery (RR) advocates for failing to base RR's success on an adequate cost-benefit analysis. The authors suggest reliance on the informal judgements of local administrators rather than using administratively difficult, large-scale, cost-benefit analyses…

Researchers followed preservice elementary teachers from just before their assessment course through student teaching. Journals, assessments, and interviews indicated that they needed hands-on experience in grading, handling difficult parent conferences, handling the pressures of mandated standardized tests, and working with cooperating teachers…

Discussion of online learning focuses on course development at a South African residential institution that incorporated online assignments into a face-to-face journalism course to introduce information technology. Describes course structure, activities, assessment methods, student involvement, and problems with students' lack of computer skills…

A study of the faculty evaluation system at Nene College (England) is reported and compared with studies in other British universities. Evaluator, faculty, and administrator views of the program were generally positive, particularly concerning the opportunities the evaluation interviews present for discussing issues. Assessment by line manager…

Discussion of systematic faculty evaluation for performance and career development looks at government policy changes in the United Kingdom and compares two institutional programs. The City University of Hong Kong views the faculty performance plan/appraisal as its contribution to the institution; the University of Glasgow (Scotland) treats the…

Describes a technological instrument for use in physical education teacher education. Designed to use technology to combine useful features of qualitative instruments with an expanded capability of traditional systematic observation, the instrument offers more accurate descriptions of highly interactive gymnasiums. It provides ongoing evaluation…

Describes a survey of faculty members at the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) which investigated the extent of support for use of teaching portfolios, in addition to student evaluations, as a method for evaluating faculty for promotion, and based on responses, development of a profile of portfolio content and procedures for its review.…

Describes Boston Family Reunification Network's instruments to measure process and clinical outcomes of initiatives designed to help children return to their families, the two-year development process, and the points considered during the instruments' development. Includes suggestions for other social welfare groups planning to create and…

Discusses three studies: (1) the effectiveness of semantic analyses of written narratives of students with hearing losses in determining language ability; (2) written-language characteristics of writers matched by reading abilities alone and matched by reading ability and age; and (3) written-language characteristics of writers with hearing…

Notes the astonishing leap in capability and versatility of computers and considers their current and future use in art education. Lack of technical expertise is no longer a hindrance, as the current technology is user-friendly. Considers the computer's role in assessment, curriculum development, and research. (MJP)

Explores ways librarians are using the Web for instruction and to support faculty use of the Web for teaching. Topics include identifying user characteristics and needs, including remote access; library planning; Web-based tools for user instruction, including tutorials; electronic reference; Web pages for courses, including faculty collaboration;…

A first year accounting course at an Australian university implemented strategies to develop skill areas valued by industry. Small groups of students collaborated on case studies downloaded from the course Web site, which also provided support resources, past tests and answers, and a discussion room. Assessment was based on preparation and…

Describes the introduction of the Patchwork Text in a Masters-level research methods course at Ashcroft International Business School at Anglia Polytechnic University (United Kingdom). Evaluates Patchwork in light of whether it met three objectives: helping students achieve a coherent grasp of the research process; helping students develop the…