This article offers three interrelated arguments for the adoption of a cultural approach to the study of learning. It then presents some early analyses of data from a case study of one learning site, concerned with the assessment of learning in the workplace. These analyses show how the shape of the learning site--for example, the nature of…

New research conducted by Boston's Center for Collaborative Education documents significant achievement by students who attend the city's Pilot Schools. Pilot School students are performing better than the district averages across every indicator of student engagement and performance, including the statewide standardized assessment (MCAS). In…

The Parent-Child Literacy Strategy (P-CLS) focuses on intergenerational educational approaches that integrate adult literacy instruction and early oral language development for children from birth to age six for economically and socially disadvantaged families. The objectives of the Parent-Child Literacy Strategy are: (1) To enhance the oral…

In this article, we examine the construct and criteria validity of student and teacher ratings as indicators of instructional features. As parsimonious measures, student and teacher reports are frequently used to assess aspects of the learning environment. From a methodological perspective, however, both approaches have been questioned. Whereas…

The primary purpose of this study was the naturalistic assessment of growth in oral English proficiency of Hispanic American limited English proficient (LEP) students in a paired reciprocal learning format. Subjects were fifth-grade students in a summer English-as-a-Second-Language class. Twelve students in a paired learning format and 12 in a…

This document is intended to be a self-evaluation tool to assist Colorado early childhood programs in working toward quality services. Eleven sections provide rating criteria on: (1) interaction among staff and children; (2) curriculum; (3) family-staff partnership; (4) staff qualifications and development; (5) administration; (6) staffing…

The National Science Foundation is sponsoring 26 Statewide Systemic Initiative Projects to promote innovative curricula for teaching mathematics and science. A plan for evaluating and assessing systemic change has been designed and implemented at one of them in Puerto Rico. The perspective used to guide this paper is based on the principles that…

E-mail has swept the communications and information world, providing instantaneous global information and data exchange. However, an information elite still exists, made up of those with access to and knowledge about computers and e-mail. The diverging trends in access based on income and education are placing significant groups of current and…

This report summarizes the comprehensive, written self-assessments comleted by seven Minnesota tech prep consortia. The 1993-94 cohort of consortia was the first group to use the self-assessment. Within each tech prep consortium, the evaluation was completed by cross-district teams of teachers, administrators, and others who had been trained by…

This report contains the comprehensive, written self-assessments completed by 10 Minnesota tech prep consortia. The 1994-95 cohort of consortia was the second group to use the self-assessment. Within each tech prep consortium, the evaluation was completed by cross-district teams of teachers, administrators, and others who had been trained by the…

This review of research identifies, reviews, and summarizes studies that address the implementation of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 (KERA) and that focus on the effects of the reforms on students, teachers, and other stakeholders. Introductory summary overviews are included in the areas of finance, governance, and curriculum, and on…

While the publication of school report cards and profiles is common in a number of states, their contents and formats vary as they represent the concerns and initiatives of policymakers. Over recent years, several studies have been made of school report cards and profiles. In this investigation, the focus is a comparison of report cards and…

This document analyzes responses to questions included in a national assessment of knowledge of U.S. history and geography in an attempt to determine the relationship between study habits and academic performance. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1994 asked 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade students specific questions regarding…

This book explores issues related to the links between families and schools and how they affect children's educational achievement, and is organized as follows: Part 1, titled "Families and Schools: How Can They Work Together To Promote Children's School Success?" contains the following chapters: chapter 1, "Family Involvement in…

This book explores the legacy of institutional racism in American Indian education, presents two contrasting assessments of Indian education in public and tribal schools, and outlines a more aggressive federal role to assure equity in local school systems. For most of its history, federally funded Indian education aimed to assimilate American…