Uses the example of Vermont's Middlebury College to explore the challenges and possibilities of achieving consensus about institutional change. Discusses why, unlike in this example, consensus usually fails, and presents four demands of an effective consensus process. Includes a list of "test" questions on successful collaboration. (EV)

Describes one principal's experience working with teachers to overcome their reluctance to collaborate in the decision-making process. Includes guidelines for effective group participation. (PKP)

Describes the processes used in the Replication of Lessons Learned (ROLL) program in Russia, which was designed in 1996 to increase the impact of environmental projects already tested in pilot sites by replicating the most successful ones at new sites. Emphasizes the multilevel collaborative partnerships established in the program and describes…

Presents three justifications of the arts and arts education: the arguments of (1) individual consciousness; (2) societal self-awareness; and (3) cultural presence. Claims young people need wide experience as both makers and consumers of cultural works. (NH)

Everyone agrees that teachers' voices should be heard in their schools. But what does that mean? And how can teachers' voices be used to improve student learning? In this article, the author offers insights from his experience with the League of Professional Schools. As a result of the teacher empowerment movement that began in the mid-1980s and…

The development of a conception of critical pedagogy is itself an aspect of the development of critical rationality within late modern societies, closely connected with the role of education in developing critical rationality. The role of critique pervades all aspects of life: for people as citizens, workers and self-determining private…

This article reports on an exploratory study of the relationship between grounding and problem solving in multimodal computer-mediated collaboration. This article examines two different media, a shared whiteboard and a MOO environment that includes a text chat facility. A study was done on how the acknowledgment rate (how often partners give…

Distributed leadership is a concept that is finding increasing support and is receiving widespread interest in the practitioner and research communities. So, why the interest in distributed leadership? While reasons for the contemporary interest certainly vary, it is suggested that reasons for the popularity of "distributed leadership" are…

Contemporary philosophical and political theories place high hopes on the concept of deliberative democracy. Within educational research, there seems to be widespread agreement that if students are to be educated for deliberative democracy, actual classroom deliberation constitutes an indispensable educational tool. From the standpoint of…

This article considers the value of collaborative forms of educational action research in higher education and the difficulties involved in implementing such forms of research. It is argued that educational action research represents an opportunity for improving teaching and learning and developing the knowledge and skills of those participating…

After almost three decades of school reform, student achievement nationally is about where it was when it started, and student behavior has declined dramatically. Numbers of dropouts, especially in cities and among the poor and minorities, have gotten much higher. Yet many billions of dollars have been spent; countless professionals have carried…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the superintendent portion of the UCEA Voices III project. Design/methodology/approach: A four-year study to determine how school leaders, from several locations and contexts, describe their perceptions of and experiences with educational leadership related to the study themes, school improvement,…

In 1992, even before a formalized agricultural extension system existed, the Farmer Field School was introduced in Vietnam as a farmer education methodology aiming at enhancing farmers' agroecological knowledge, critical skills and collective action to support sustainable agricultural development. Over the years, the model saw a wide range of…

Because of New York City's proximity to water, edifices were built with one step as a barrier to potential flooding. The increase in the disability population made it evident that this step formed a barrier to people who could not negotiate level changes, especially those in wheelchairs and motorized scooters. The Americans with Disabilities Act…

The "Closing the Achievement Gap" series explores the Casey Foundation's education investments and presents stories, results, and lessons learned. This publication provides an in-depth look at Foundation support of community schools, including selected results and lessons learned. It also includes stories about one California school…