An activity in which students describe the worldwide geographic distribution of petroleum, identify and locate the countries that make up the Middle East, and name the countries that import oil to meet their domestic needs is presented. Discussion questions and answers are included. (KR)

Reviews the efforts of the American Council on Education, Education Commission of the States, American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, and the Quality Education for Minorities Project to revitalization minority participation in higher education. Highlights encouraging enrollment trends. (DMM)

This paper discusses theories and practices of the politics of curriculum reform tested while working to establish a freshman seminar course at the University of Prince Edward Island. The step-by-step procedure for negotiating the approval process is relevant to all types of curriculum reform. (Author/MLW)

Presents two kindergarten teachers' accounts of the use of the whole language approach to children's learning in class. Describes the reading of a children's book to a public kindergarten class and the subsequent literacy-related activities. (BB)

The provost of Towson University, a Maryland state university, analyzes why his institution employs part-time faculty, discusses problems and solutions, and makes recommendations for longer-term policy development to assure quality education. It is argued that part-time faculty are critical to university operations, providing an economic base that…

Metropolitan universities are in the forefront of developing new administrative approaches to support and expand minority opportunities in higher education. Three design principles are at the heart of successful efforts to institutionalize diversity: strategic planning; the learning model; and integration across goals and functions. The experience…

Details Florida's accomplishments and challenges as policymakers and educators focus on increasing student achievement through higher student and teacher standards, assessment, and accountability mechanisms. Already recognized for its articulation procedures, Florida continues to improve and expand partnerships and agreements between and among…

Arizona allows charters to be granted by local school boards, the state board of education, or gubernatorially appointed boards. Regulatory loopholes allow multiple campuses, private school conversions, and outside-of-district charters. Market-based choice depends on political support, a strong state government, and enormous parental and teacher…

Describes one teacher's project integrating various features of advanced computer authoring systems to create a prototype program for Spanish phonetics instruction, with the objectives of remedying the inadequacy of conventional Spanish phonetics methodology, helping student develop language awareness, and meeting the needs of a diverse college…

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a five-week summer-intensive course in English to improve students' opportunities for speaking, confidence about, and communicative competence in English. The effect of the program on English teachers' roles and the ways they are perceived by students and administrators is…

Assessment can have a profound transformational impact on a college or university, but for this to occur, such core values as improvement of student learning through collection of performance-related data must be integrated into the institutional culture. At Truman State University (Missouri), an initially modest commitment to improving student…

Maintains that school failure can be prevented if at-risk students are provided with a coordinated set of interventions. Presents recommendations for principals and teachers and describes several successful programs that promote at-risk student learning, including cooperative learning, mentorships, instructional technology, and the whole-language…

Describes four Norwegian kindergarten/day care programs: (1) Tislegard kindergarten and day care center, using community sculptures as the basis for art activities; (2) Bjerkeallen Barnehage, examining the impact on activities and staff relationships when half the staff are men; (3) Labakken, using nature as a central arena for play; and (4)…

In 1994, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) launched a customized professional development program for art teachers, funded through a coalition of hospitals, colleges, and universities. It fostered a collaboration between RISD and city art teachers, which resulted in development of an overall strategic reform plan for visual arts education…

Widespread dissatisfaction caused a Nevada district to reexamine and revamp its teacher-evaluation process. The new system, which assumes teacher participation in goal setting helps teachers become self-reflective practitioners capable of adjusting their practices, has four domains: planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and…