Discussion of communities of practice in workplace learning is widespread. Here the authors seek to consider how we can make use of communities of practice theory in practical teaching in a formal undergraduate educational context. The concept of what the authors call the double shift is discussed; a shift from the workplace as community of…

Improving the quality of educational buildings is one of the objectives of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Programme on Educational Building (PEB). The PEB does this by disseminating information about ways to produce quality educational buildings at a reasonable cost. This report contains descriptions of buildings…

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. In 1981 the Education for Rural Development in Seti Zone Project--more commonly known as the "Seti Project"--was part of the Nepalese government's effort to develop a system of basic education in that far western region of Nepal. The early success of the project provided the impetus for…

This report is a comparative analysis of K-12 school planning and design criteria. A state-by-state survey was conducted to evaluate the degree of state government involvement and the differences in each state. A questionnaire sought information on funding, state planning requirements, site and building sizes, pupil/teacher ratios, building design…

The proceedings of a conference called to institute a dialogue between the architectural and educational professions are summarized. Areas considered include deterrents to efficient dialogue, the need for research, parameters of research (foundational questions; flexibility; furniture, materials, hardware, and teaching equipment; information…

In a nontechnical way, this small book outlines the present use of energy in schools, what forms of energy will be available in the foreseeable future, how energy is presently wasted in educational facilities, and how energy can be conserved now and in the future. The school administrator can control the energy consumption in his schools and this…

The United States Congress and the individual states are now placing high priorities on supplying school facilities for the handicapped. This book is a comprehensive synthesis of what is unique and different about exceptional children and youth, of what modes of teaching and learning are necessary for their instruction, and of what contributions…

This is a collection of speeches, reports, and discussions from a symposium at Oklahoma Christian College in March, 1971, which concerned the use of learning centers, particularly at the college level. Participants agreed that learning centers are an efficient way of giving large numbers of students personalized instruction and allowing them to…

This manual is intended for use by the Alberta, Canada, school boards, administrators, consultants, education staff, and other individuals involved in school building projects. The purpose of the School Capital Plan, funding, and Alberta Education's funding framework are detailed. The school building project components of the School Capital Plan…

The National Institute of School Leadership's (NISL's) Executive Development Program (EDP) was established to provide professional development to school leaders to drive their schools to high performance. The program emphasizes the role of principals as strategic thinkers, instructional leaders, and creators of a just, fair, and caring culture in…

Teacher shortages are essentially a problem of distribution (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; National Association of State Boards of Education, 1998; Olson, 2000; Reeves, 2003; Voke, 2002). According to recent studies, hardest to find are teachers who are both qualified and willing to teach in hard-to-staff schools, which included those in…

Everybody knows that healthy school buildings contribute to student learning, reduce health and operating costs, and ultimately, increase school quality and competitiveness. However, 55 million of the nation's children attend public and private K-12 schools where poor air quality, hazardous chemicals and other unhealthy conditions make students…

In November 1996, the voters of Montgomery County (Maryland) approved by referendum an amendment to the County Charter that changed the County Council's review and approval cycle of the six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) from an annual to biennial cycle. The referendum specified that in odd-numbered fiscal years (on-years) the County…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

The third annual conference of the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) was held at Trinity College Dublin on 11-12 November 2009, and was attended by over 300 delegates. The theme--"Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy"--was timely and generated some fascinating papers, workshops and…