We use a two-stage process to inductively develop a framework to understand the mechanisms that influence academic research collaborations. First, we draw on the research collaboration experiences of three distinguished careers researchers to develop a process framework. The framework outlines the phases for the project from initiation through to…

In light of the complexity and wealth of information in societies today, the notion of organizational learning has become the forerunner of school change discourse. However, organizational learning is still characterized by mystical and amorphous rhetoric, understood well neither by researchers nor by practitioners. Therefore, this article is an…

Sixteen years ago, the author was the sole librarian at a suburban Chicago elementary school, teaching 24 classes a week to 450 students. She was overwhelmed and alone, and there was nobody in the building who really understood what she was going through. Although she regularly met with 15 fellow district librarians to review broad topics such as…

With nearly four decades of National Council for the Social Studies conferences under his belt, the author reflects on the valuable networking and stimulating sessions he attended, and highlights key educational websites from the increasingly technologically-adept exhibits. Here, he describes five websites that can be useful resources for…

This paper examines the processes whereby two researchers developed their knowledge in teaching a course for preservice teachers. We sought to explore the ways in which class assignments encouraged preservice teachers to develop their abilities to see classrooms from the point of view of nascent teachers rather than that of successful students.…

This qualitative study explored school social workers' relationships during instances of abuse and neglect reporting, focusing on reports made for children and adolescents already receiving school social work services. Although school social workers frequently file abuse and neglect reports, little is known about how they manage clinical and…

Advanced clinical practice roles are now an integral feature of many healthcare services and have been adopted in a diversity of areas. However, mentoring of these roles is not well documented in the literature and formal mechanisms of support are limited. An action learning set (ALS) was developed to provide support for consultants currently in…

This article addresses two important questions about the transition to independent research: (1) What facilitates or impedes graduate students' ability to make the transition, where "impede" is defined as leaving the program without completing the dissertation, making slow progress toward the degree, or completing an undistinguished dissertation…

The author of this brief article asserts that one of the keys to being successful--whether one is a music teacher, a college professor, a business owner, a doctor, a lawyer, or in any other career--is his or her relationship with people. Music educators are in the people business. They do not make a tangible product. Instead, they provide a…

This study provides a quantitative approach to analyzing college students' levels of self-actualization. Specifically, it addresses the distinction between students from non-rural and rural hometowns relative to their level of self-actualization. Students from five public state schools, in one Midwestern state, were surveyed. Self-actualization…

What role must principals play in order to effectively support literacy coaching efforts? This is a question that many educators have begun to ask (Burkins, 2007; Casey, 2006; Kral, 2007; Shanklin, 2007; Steiner & Kowal, 2007; Toll, 2008). Some suggest that principals can establish close relationships with literacy coaches by offering a number…

It had been more than 20 years since ACTE had held its Annual Convention and Career Tech Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, and the overwhelming success of this year's Convention guaranteed that there won't be another 20 years in between visits. More than 6,000 career and technical educators filled the Georgia World Congress Center to network with…

Most teachers of young children start their days with some type of class meeting--typically circle time. Although similar to circle time, Morning Meeting is structured with four essential components: the greeting (children greet each other); sharing (several children share important information about themselves); a group activity (the group…

Most professions have wrestled with the problem of dual relationships, and the profession of youth work is no exception. Howard Sercombe holds that in order to understand how dual relationships can be avoided within youth work, it is necessary to be clear about what is involved in professional relationships. Sercombe also outlines policies that…

The theoretical explication of the meaning of relationships in women's lives by researchers at the Stone Center for Developmental Services at Wellesley College brings a rich dimension to the topic of women mentoring women. Rather than trying to understand the development of a "separate self," the Stone Center group has been exploring the…