This paper begins by relating the experiences of a beginning special education teacher in a small school in rural Montana. He soon became frustrated as he lacked the skills required for collaborating with other teachers, students, parents, and the community. Small rural schools have difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified special…

This paper examines how creative thinking techniques can be used to help rural educators provide effective transition programs and services to secondary students. Factors affecting transition in rural areas include a small, homogenous economic base; travel time and distance between job sites; lack of services and trained staff; the community role…

The term "contextual learning" refers to the type of learning that has also been called experiential learning, real-world education, active learning, and learner-centered instruction. Unlike traditional school learning, which is based on the principles of individual learning in a manner that is independent of tools and dependent on…

This booklet summarizes Part 3 of the 1993 Education Act (Great Britain) which makes major changes to the way local education authorities (LEAs) and schools must identify and provide for children's special educational needs. Following a listing of specific changes between this Act and the 1981 Education Act, the booklet briefly summarizes…

This manual presents guidelines to assist Vermont schools in the systems change involved in implementing full inclusion for students with disabilities in general education classrooms and community settings. The first chapter addresses general issues concerned with full inclusion, including Vermont's vision for education, the role of collaborative…

This book clarifies current efforts to reform teaching by providing a conceptual analysis of what a professional and a bureaucratic view of teaching entail. Case studies are presented illustrating what happens when differing approaches to teachers' work are tried in three school districts. The first chapter describes the two approaches to reform…

Research conducted by the National Research Center on Student Learning (NRCSL) is reviewed as it moves toward a new understanding of learning and instruction. Research by the NRCSL into the kind of learning demanded by modern life has been shaped by the understanding, based on earlier research, that knowledge is actively constructed in the mind of…

The agenda of 13th and 14th century educational theorists embraced issues that stimulated innovation in educational theory and practice. Christian thinkers of the late middle ages were preoccupied with adapting their educational notions to the changing conditions of their socio-political milieu. The question of the training of Christian rulers…

Physical education and athletic staffs have numerous opportunities to become entangled in legal disputes. The information in this guide offers guidance for safer athletic programs and management of risk while reinforcing sound educational practice. The guide provides an overview of tort liability and negligence theory, followed by a discussion of…

This paper presents data documenting gender differences in preschool exceptional education placement for a large metropolitan school district (Tampa, Florida). Research is reviewed in the areas of biological and physiological gender differences, psychological gender development, and sociological influences on gender based developmental outcomes.…

This report summarizes activities and findings of a federally funded center at the Research Triangle Institute (North Carolina) reviewing current knowledge concerning nonpharmacological interventions for improving educational outcomes for students with attention deficit disorders (ADD). For each of the seven topics reviewed, the report provides a…

This book identifies features of best practice in women's education and training (WET) in Britain, as revealed in a nationwide search that led to the first National Institute of Adult Continuing Education Award for Good Practice in WET. Chapter 1 describes the process for selecting six awardees. Chapter 2 isolates key issues and themes that gave…

All state directors of adult education in the United States were asked to complete a questionnaire requiring them to consider health within the context of learning and offer priority ratings for health from the various standpoints. An 88% response rate was achieved. On a 5-point scale, the state directors' mean ratings of health from selected…

The characteristics of one-room rural schools in Barbour County, West Virginia, are representative of one-room rural school characteristics in general. These include building design and problems; teacher' lives and duties, certification, salaries, and training; scheduling and curriculum; games; punishments; and hot lunch programs. Since one-room…

The mathematics teaching and learning practices of Jaime Escalante, nationally known mathematics teacher, were implemented in a team approach in two high schools and three middle schools in Los Angeles (California). The 13 original project objectives were condensed into restructuring the curriculum, improving student performance, especially in…