Describes New Zealand's Family Group Conference as a model for quality relationship between families and social work professionals. Examines adaptation of the model in the United Kingdom, noting how the model reasserts kinship as a valuable resource in all matters of care and protection, and establishes a clearer role for professionals as skilled…

Discusses areas of revision on the 1996 British Government's Draft Adoption Bill: aspects of the welfare principles; criteria for dispensing with parental consent; orders for stepparents; and the use of residence orders as an alternative to adoption. Concludes that resolving those issues would be an important step toward meeting the diverse needs…

Describes lessons learned from a qualitative study of 16 inclusive preschool programs. Lessons focus on the meaning of inclusion as it relates to organizational and social contexts experienced and perceived by families, educators, and administrators. Suggestions are made for addressing challenges without abandoning the commitment to inclusive…

This introductory article to the issue, which focuses on the preparation of special education teachers, discusses the different perspectives of winners of the Teacher Education Division Publication Award. Evaluates whether special education departments should work with general education in teacher preparation. Provides list of winners and their…

Analyzes the important challenges that researchers face in the creation and use of a knowledge base for restructuring teacher education in the field of special education. Promising avenues for research to meet these challenges are delineated and the critical roles of multiparadigmatic teacher communities are highlighted. (Author/CR)

Describes shifting perspectives of a large special education teacher education program in Florida in the process of implementing a reform agenda. Particular attention is given to admission standards for prospective teachers (reliance on test scores is questioned) and the curriculum and teaching methodologies of teacher education program.…

Explores history of Head Start and, to create another way of conceiving of the organization, shifting definitions and conflicting interpretations of parental involvement and staff development. Also draws on interviews with women involved with Head Start and concludes that the certainty and stability characterizing public policy since Enlightenment…

Camp administrators concerned with generating a desirable camp culture should begin by defining the camp's mission and clarifying the details of that vision for staff. The components of a camp culture are discussed: signs and symbols, ritual and tradition, habitual modes of communication, and the director's leadership. These components should be…

Investigated computer-assisted foreign language abstract word learning with sixth graders in Taiwan. Discusses results that indicated students using the Web-based multimedia system learned significantly more abstract words than students in regular language learning class, and provides suggestions for improving the system used in this study.…

Describes the analysis of "Strengths and Weaknesses and Opportunities and Threats" (SWOT). Discusses the study, "Gemeinhardt 4," that used the SWOT analysis to determine 13 different types of music programs. Addresses how music teachers can utilize this information. Includes other sections such as, "Possible Solution to Music Program Threats."…

Provides background on the general issues of performance assessment and suggests intervention strategies for department chairs. (KEH)

Describes the creation of a set of outcome assessment guidelines recently developed for college and university theater programs. Categorizes outcomes in three ways: knowledge, skills, and attitudes. (KEH)

Proposes a program that uses the methods of participant observation to improve the experiences of student interns and integrate the internship programs into the liberal arts curriculum. The program includes a pre-internship methods course, a periodic log to be submitted by the student, and a final integration paper. (SLM)

Recommends steps to improve camp directors' year-round effectiveness in the camping movement. Suggests establishing common vocabulary, emphasizing values of camp programs or "hospitality services," and understanding the relationship of the outdoors to the programs offered. Offers tips for broadening camps' year-round services as educational…

A content analysis of Teacher Education Reports over a 32-month period is the basis for this report which identifies issues, problems, and proposals that have had or will have significant impact on teacher preparation practices. Three megatrends and 12 related subtrends are described. (IAH)