The critical issue in special education today is no longer the assurance of access, but rather, the assurance of effectiveness. Determining which practices and interventions are most effective and efficient for ensuring optimal student achievement is a fundamental concern of special education teachers in this era of accountability. In this…

This paper considers the issues involved in the use of manuals to guide the treatment of sexual offenders. I identify problems in the use of manuals, particularly their failure to encourage satisfactorily the implementation of therapeutic skills, the restrictions they place upon the therapist's ability to address the responsivity principle, the…

The identification and dissemination of "good practice" has for years been a central part of the Government's strategy for radical change of the education system. "Good practice", however, is no longer good enough, nor is "best practice". The requirement now for post-compulsory education and training (from which all…

Many teachers are searching for that "silver bullet": the teaching method that always works. Many answers, often contradictory, are offered by educators far and wide, as evidenced by the 768,000 websites identified by a Google search for "best practices teaching." The quest for best practices has led many to seek ways to teach that defy even the…

This article describes five ways to contribute to the development of civically engaged citizens based on activities that have been widely used and described in detail over the last ten years: (1) Service-Learning Projects; (2) Extracurricular Activities; (3) Class Discussions and Debates; (4) Role Plays and Simulations; and (5) Home-School…

Studies have shown the importance of employment interview preparation in boosting the confidence and performance of students and jobseekers when they interview. This article reviews several techniques for preparing students for mock job interviews and, hence, actual job interviews. For instructors who would like to enhance the learning value of…

Small undergraduate German programs can take various forms but can generally be classified as new and emerging or older and well-established programs. In today's academic climate it is necessary that instructors in both types work to enhance their curriculum and extra-curricular offerings as well as strive to prevent burnout and the over…

The demand for accountability through measurement continues to increase. Although much progress has been made, it remains an issue that challenges even the most sophisticated and progressive performance improvement function. This article provides an overview of best practices in the return-on-investment process and describes how applying these…

Going solar is not an easy decision, but a long-term investment with a potentially substantial up-front cost. While some schools have enough capital in reserve, can raise bond money, or can solicit sufficient donations, many schools rely on creative financial programs to make a solar energy system economically feasible. Thinking about going solar…

Two interrelated studies were undertaken to assist Alberta post-secondary institutions with meeting challenges associated with providing services to diverse distributed students that are of similar quality to services provided to traditional classroom students. The first study identified and assessed best practices in distributed learning; the…

School psychologists increasingly are called on to assess academic, behavioral, and social functioning of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), as well as advocate for and assist in the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based instructional strategies across a wide variety of education contexts. In this study, we…

In an effort to continuously advance the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) program, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) convened a series of meetings focusing on the future of NAEP. Participants engaged in productive discussions and debates, exchanging forward-thinking ideas about what role NAEP should play five,…

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) publishes a research agenda on an ongoing basis to continue its work in field-building, capacity-building and knowledge-building. Based on a 2013 survey of the field to identify research needs, iNACOL developed a research approach, including the following: (1) Build a collaborative…

The number of children diagnosed with pediatric bipolar disorder has increased 4,000% from 1994 to 2003. Researchers have identified the need for teachers' professional development in this area but have not specified what teachers need to know to effectively educate students. The problem addressed was this lack of clinical knowledge and…

Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and a crucial element in the universally recognised right to education. However, illiteracy continues to exist as a global challenge, and many individuals still lack the basic literacy skills that are needed to engage in further learning opportunities and for the economic and social development of…