A project was conducted to instruct adult education teachers on communications and counseling issues. A series of four workshops were held to provide instructional and support personnel with practical skills that will make them work more effectively with their students. Attendance at all four workshops was excellent, with 20-30 practitioners at…

Recent medical and surgical advances as well as court decisions have led to special education programs serving a growing number of students with extreme medical and educational needs. Particularly close bonding between the special education teacher and student with severe disabilities can occur, as the teacher provides so many services and works…

For inclusion of students with disabilities to work successfully in schools, a sense of community among faculty and students, a shared mission, and the ability to successfully collaborate with others are essential. Activities to promote collegial relationships among faculty should be a part of each inclusion team's plan for implementing inclusion…

A practicum was designed to increase the expertise of primary teachers in the creation of developmentally appropriate reading/writing curriculum for the multi-age, multi-ability, primary classroom through literacy training staff development sessions. The system of literacy training was constructed over a period of eight months with 34 primary…

This project explored the activities and attitudes of Scottish teachers (N=50) on secondment to a variety of different bodies. The term "secondment" refers to the short-term assignment of a professional person from one institution to another, involving new forms of accountability and professional commitment. Three types of secondments…

Each of the four papers in this collection is concerned with open learning in one form or another. "Open Learning: Some Current Perspectives" (Ian Barnard) addresses the topic of open learning in general, commenting on contemporary views and developments, and defining the term as a collective for approaches and practices that focus on…

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of a staff development program on the performance of principals in one of their most important tasks: the annual evaluation of teachers. The objective was to determine whether the effects of the staff development training could be seen in the quality of documentation provided by the…

Outcomes of a staff development program based on the whole language philosophy that was implemented in a rural Florida elementary school are presented in this practicum report. Two surveys of 29 and 35 faculty, respectively, indicated needs for faculty cohesiveness, a unified purpose, and an update of language arts teaching skills. A staff…

This research focused on the perceptions of primary teachers (N=337) in the Eastern Caribbean concerning the principles, activities, and delivery strategies that would inform staff development efforts to meet their professional needs. In particular, the research sought to establish whether, given the sharp contextual differences between the…

The school-based teacher educator (SBTE) is a classroom teacher who is responsible for preservice, inservice, or continuing education at a school or district level while maintaining a primary work location in an elementary or secondary classroom. Teachers in this role have the potential for enhancing faculty morale by responding to both the…

This study was conducted in order to explore patterns of teachers' thinking and learning as they learn a new instructional approach. The theoretical framework is based on a model in which teachers: learn and implement a new practice; witness cognitive and attitudinal changes in students' learning outcomes; change their own beliefs and attitudes;…

Outcomes and applications of Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) study groups composed of teachers and administrators to investigate a single educational issue and develop a product of use to practitioners are described in this report. Contents include an introduction of the study group as a professional development tool, a discussion of the…

A description is given of the Classroom Organization and Management Program, designed to help teachers in grades 1-9 and staff developers improve their overall instructional and behavioral management skills through planning, implementing, and maintaining effective classroom practices. It also seeks to improve student task engagement and reduction…

Teachers' knowledge of effective use of time research can be examined via a paper/pencil test; however, the degree to which teachers used the identified effective practices can only be observed and recorded. What is proposed here is an objective observation of teaching practices. Based upon research findings, criterion levels would be established…

A two part study examined the use and needs of paraprofessionals in the education of handicapped children in Nebraska. Financial forms from school districts were analyzed to determine the number of special education teacher aides employed, salary costs, program costs, and number of students served. In the second part, administrators, special…