Most political scientists argue that the term "public policy" encompasses both the actions of government and the intentions that determine those actions. This paper presents an overview of theories about the sources of impetus for policy changes, reviews public policy formation about school choice at the national level and in California,…

Although the goal of science courses for non-majors should be to increase the scientific literacy of students, many such courses become watered down versions of courses in the major and do not provide enough depth to make science meaningful to students. At the Wabash Valley Region campus of Ivy Tech State College, in Indiana, a project was…

This paper describes the technical aspects and preliminary results of a study that explored the role of the director of collaborative programs that combine efforts of schools and social service agencies. It also studied the program director's perceptions of critical aspects of collaborative services initiatives. The idea that collaboration exists…

This collection assembles some of the most important works from the writings of Robert E. Slavin and presents them in individual chapters with introductions and commentary to set them in context. The works cited give educators and educational researchers a single source for the most important work of Slavin and his colleagues. The first section,…

The Appalachian College Association (ACA) is an organization of 33 independent four- and two-year colleges in the Appalachian region. In the spring of 1995, ACA held two regional meetings to gather information on school-college collaborations in Appalachia and to discuss the state of teacher education at Appalachian colleges and the possibilities…

In an increasingly technological environment, traditional teaching presentation methods such as the podium, overhead, and transparencies are no longer sufficient. This document serves as a guide to designing and planning an electronic classroom for "bidirectional" communication between teacher and student. Topics include: (1) determining…

It is proposed that classroom collaboration has the potential to build a classroom learning community in which students turn to each other as resources and the teacher becomes one channel, among many, for learning. The demands that collaborative work places on students are examined, and the process of building a collaborative environment is…

This monograph presents seven papers on the research, and pedagogical aspects of developmental education and implications for a definition of developmental education. After an introductory paper by the editors, the papers are: (1) "The New Science: Connections with Developmental Education" (Dana D. Darby); (2) "Issues Affecting the Definition of…

The movement from a teacher-centered to a student-centered classroom environment requires that teachers utilize facilitation skills for effective collaborative learning. Collaboration is the process of shared creation in which two or more individuals with complementary skills interact to create a shared understanding that did not previously exist.…

When teaching beginning reading, the use of certain children's stories, called predictable books, can yield higher reading comprehension skills, provide excellent practice for sight words, and teach good oral reading skills. A nurturing classroom environment is an important component of an effective beginning reading curriculum. An effective…

Critics of academic tracking argue that it perpetuates society's existing social structure, which is unfairly organized and limited by race and class. This paper presents findings of a study that compared teaching practices in tracked and detracked high school classes in a small city in upstate New York. Four social-studies and four science…

In a unique class of combined elementary and secondary teacher education majors, this triangulated qualitative study investigated how cooperative structures affect student attitudes and motivation. In particular, the study examined students' preferences for instruction, students' attitudes and motivation related to their preference for cooperative…

This Digest draws on current practices in global education to provide teachers with practical suggestions regarding instructional and technological resources as well as the use of cooperative learning approaches. Readily accessible instructional resources for teaching global education include: (1) local communities, e.g., volunteer organizations,…

This book contains a unit on science and global education that is designed to enable students to gain a practical understanding of the world they live in and the confidence to take appropriate action as responsible global citizens. This unit emphasizes cooperative learning that is experiential and participatory. Teachers and students are…

This report provides brief descriptions of a variety of community and educational programs for children and families with special needs, especially at the early childhood level in Vermont. Part 1 describes six programs characterized as community/regional-state partnerships. Part 2 describes family-centered resources, supports, and services,…