This article examines the curriculum reform of basic education in China from 2001 to 2008. We first discuss postmodern features of the social background in which the curriculum reform movement takes place: (1) the political ideal of innovation, open-endedness, and harmony; (2) the economic ideal of ecological, stable, and sustainable development;…

Even evidence-based instructional methods may not be sufficient for closing achievement gaps. If teachers are not maximizing instructional time, achievement gaps are likely to widen over time; therefore, instruction need not only be effective but efficient as well. The purposes of this article are to (a) provide practitioners with a broad…

The synthesis "Public Policies and Strategies of Actors" concerns the same theme as Part 4 of the "Handbook of Distance Education" (Moore 2007), which deals with policies, administration, and management. Eleven articles illustrate the theme. Three articles are studies about the experience in France between 2000 and 2003 of the…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to argue that the types of and ways in which academic institutions produce knowledge are insufficient to contribute to a transition to sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: Reflecting on experiences at the School of Sustainability, the authors contend that a different kind of knowledge is needed, what…

Developmental evaluation (DE) offers a powerful approach to monitoring and supporting social innovations by working in partnership with program decision makers. In this book, eminent authority shows how to conduct evaluations within a DE framework. Patton draws on insights about complex dynamic systems, uncertainty, nonlinearity, and emergence. He…

The United States is competing in a dynamic global economy in which two assets--a skilled, versatile and highly adaptable workforce and the capacity for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship--provide a decisive edge. To succeed in today's economic climate, the U.S. needs a well-educated, technically proficient workforce in all sectors and…

With the ever-changing landscape of America, diversity, equity, and social justice issues continue to be of great importance in independent schools. Undeniably, diversity work holds benefits--which is why it has a place in so many mission statements--but it also poses significant challenges. In particular, the recruitment and retention of faculty…

APPA's Effective & Innovative Practices Award continues to highlight the best of the most creative and practical programs and processes that enhance and transform service delivery, lower costs, increase productivity, improve customer service, generate revenue, or otherwise benefit an educational institution. This article features five 2010…

This paper argues that designing collections of "closed" educational resources (content and technologies) for use by specific student cohorts and collections of open educational resources for use by any "learner" require different design approaches. Learning design for formal courses has been a research topic for over 10 years…

This article examines evaluation field building in South Asia and the role of international collaboration in this field building. The article explores aspects of the supply and demand of development evaluation and the political, historical, and systemic factors that bridge or block evaluation use. The article calls for and suggests elements to…

Amid a struggling economy, a raft of foreign-policy headaches, and the tail end of a heated campaign season, President Barack Obama carved out time in his schedule last month to watch students in the State Dining Room demonstrate a solar-powered model car, a water-purification system, and a soccer-playing robot. The science fair was the fifth…

Two emergent conceptual models for fostering the development of innovative technology through applied science at Cooperative Research Centers (CRCs)--the Triple Helix and the science of team science--have proved highly productive in stimulating research into how the innovation process works. Although the two arenas for fostering innovation have…

At its most basic level, service learning integrates community service activities with intentional learning components to enhance students' understanding of subject content and to meet identified community needs. Although service learning is similar to other active learning pedagogies--such as project-based, problem-based, inquiry-based, and…

We have long associated the ideal of a liberal education with an ideal of the educated person. Cognitive science, constructivist views of education, a new appreciation of the significance of practical knowledge, and a heightened awareness of the potential of education for social progress have had an impact on these ideals. As a consequence, new…

The concept of the embedded librarian takes subject specialization to another plane. The article that follows discusses the embedded librarian as an evolutionary product and speculates on the reasons driving the change from the library to the department or center for the delivery of information services. Four drivers for change are explored with…