The University of the West Indies Distance Teaching Experiment (UWIDITE) is an example of a conventional institution with a distance teaching department. The UWI is one of two regional universities serving a region covering 17 countries. Some countries are fairly prosperous; others are suffering severe economic difficulties. All the territories…

Democratization of education refers to a process that allows decision-making based on alternatives, guided by the conviction that equity, equality, solidarity, freedom and justice are the essential universal values of mankind. This study examines these criteria in the context of reform strategies in the areas of educational planning and practice.…

The purpose of this study was to devise an instructional model accommodating students' learning styles in the following areas: sound, light, temperature, design, and mobility. Specifically, this study determined if students in an experimental group with environmental accommodations to their preferred modes of learning differed from students in a…

This summary presents information on the design rationale, project coordination, and findings of the Technology Applications in Basic Skills project (TABS), which was administered by the Merrimack Education Center and designed to implement programs that use the computer and related technologies to increase student competencies in the basic skills…

This paper addresses the role of information technology (IT) in the new national curriculum for England and Wales. The role of IT is framed by a discussion of translating policy into practice. To this end, four broad issues are addressed: assessment, progression, resources, and staff development. Improving teacher support to facilitate the…

The emerging global and societal conditions demand more than the rhetoric of restructuring, reform, change, and innovation. Educators must adopt the spirit of astronauts to confront the issues directly, create a desirable future for learning, and overcome the inertia of the existing school system. The proposal for the Minnesota Experimental City…

The question of how standardized tests can be better developed to improve educational program evaluation is probed in this paper. After the first section's brief introduction, section 2 explores the thesis that tests developed in terms of selection and inference may not serve current social functions of educational testing. To clarify this thesis,…

Noting that the degree to which the concept of ethnicity is understood and taken into account at all levels of educational planning is the single most important factor in the success of programs designed for the education of ethnic and socioeconomic minorities, this paper discusses the concept in general, then outlines the components of an…

Computer assisted instruction, and especially computer simulations, can help to ensure that preservice and inservice teachers learn from the right experiences. In the past, colleges of education used large mainframe computer systems to store student registration, provide simulation lessons on diagnosing reading difficulties, construct informal…

Despite claims to the contrary, the English language program has improved dramatically over the past 20 years. The traditional program's drill/memorization approach was ineffectual, incomplete, shallow, and uninteresting. Today, however, the study of language involves looking at all of its aspects, sounds, words, and symbols. Instead of throwing…

The processes of innovation and change at Michigan State University are considered with respect to the Educational Development Program (EDP). EDP refers to innovative programs and organizational changes in undergraduate instruction during 1964-1980. Throughout its existence, the EDP underwent many iterations to make it more acceptable to a…

Four alternative approaches to the standard teacher education program are currently being offered at Michigan State University. Each alternative program provides instruction on the effective teaching of school subjects, but each option emphasizes a particular aspect of the teacher's role: (1) fostering academic learning; (2) teaching in…

Diverse low-cost, innovative, and successful state initiatives for school improvement have been developed over the last five years. Generated by public pressures for accountability, many states' increased capacity for policy analysis, and insights gained during 15 years of administering categorical grant programs, the initiatives include: programs…

In 2002 the members of the National Technology Leadership Initiative (NTLI) framed seven conclusions relating to handheld computers and ubiquitous computing in schools. While several of the conclusions are laudable efforts to increase research and professional development, the factual and conceptual bases for this document are seriously flawed.…

This study reports three-year, service-utilization patterns of the Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP)--an innovative school mental health program that uses nonprofessional child-aides as help-agents with maladapting primary graders. The PMHP model delivers, with relatively small cost increments, approximately 10 times more service than…