Stresses the need for human interaction amidst the advanced technology available on today's community college campuses. Suggests bringing the human interaction/technological dichotomy together through a retreat based on the Great Teachers Seminar (GTS) model. Offers a brief history and overview of, and recent improvements on, GTS. (AUTH/NB)

Suggests strategies for mobilizing more leadership and power in the early childhood profession including: (1) getting teachers, providers, and directors to the table; (2) taking time to reflect and raise questions; (3) using a constructivist, empowering pedagogy; and (4) forging relationships of integrity and respect. (SD)

A study evaluated a program for training two preschool educators to promote cooperative participation between preschoolers with and without disabilities. The training program consisted of viewing examples of how to promote and praise cooperative participation, along with specific instructions and on-the-job feedback. Instruction resulted in…

An assessment of the needs of persons with developmental disabilities and their families was conducted via focus groups of individuals with disabilities, family members, and professionals (n=50). Concerns included preservice staff training, inservice staff training, and program delivery and development. Implications for quality assurance and…

Eastern Illinois University surveyed library administrators, faculty, and staff to identify their educational interests, departmental differences interests, and the relationship between employee interest in and participation in technology workshops. A comparison of survey results with actual participation showed that interest and willingness to…

Presents six suggestions for personalizing professional development for middle school teachers: (1) encourage openness to change; (2) facilitate teachers' self-assessment; (3) urge teachers to be learners; (4) encourage a focus on the enjoyable in teaching; (5) advocate that teachers contribute to peers' growth; and (6) promote full lives beyond…

The Library of Congress Strategic Plan (1997-2004) targets for improvement: service to Congress; security for personnel, collections, and buildings; human resources, including hiring and staff development; and technology innovation to make collections more accessible. This article examines the purposes, assumptions, and budgeting of the plan and…

Argues for the development of a national policy for early childhood education in Britain. Recent legislation and current initiatives are discussed. Offers policy proposals concerning (1) responsibility for provision of services; (2) quality of care and education; (3) responsiveness to parents; and (4) recruitment, training, and support of staff.…

In this dialogue between two specialists in staff development of child caregivers, the roles of early childhood teachers and child care directors are considered. The need for teachers to observe play and the ways in which training can motivate teachers to observe play are discussed. Directors need to model observation skills for novice teachers.…

A case study of an organization development intervention in a large New York State school district describes to staff developers the complex process of discovering and responding to organizational needs. The discussion focuses on understanding the problem; frameworks for diagnosis and intervention; and implementing the intervention strategy.…

Roosevelt Vocational School (Florida), which prepares special needs students for employment, won President's Drug Free Schools Award. Its program teaches drug prevention and emphasizes the importance of being drug free to job safety. Components include the Chemical Abuse Reduced through Education information and referral system, staff development,…

Evaluated acceptance by multiple constituencies in a large organization of six human resource management programs: quality circles, flextime, flexible benefits, job posting, cash awards, and a fitness program. Significant differences in acceptance were correlated with program experience, hierarchical level, seniority, and organizational unit.…

Increasingly, training programs for teachers of students with both limited English proficiency and disabilities have emphasized an interface between special education and bilingual education. A pilot staff development program of the California Special Education Project, which includes a combination training and implementation phase, exemplifies…

Reviews the literature on effective in-service teacher education. Discusses attributes of effective staff development, the need for comprehensive collaborative planning, reasons why staff development activities fail to affect classroom practices, and effective evaluation of staff development programs. Contains 21 references. (SV)

This paper discusses the need, principles, types, and evaluation of professional development programs as a stimulus document for the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Council meeting. (YP)