This book presents a process and framework designed to improve the chances that administrators will learn within the context of leading. It shows administrators how to use portfolios to develop their philosophy and leadership, zero in on goals, create plans and participate in professional development, coach peers, and assess and articulate what…

Many cooperative learning programs are merely exhibitions of the willingness to work with others. They apply teams of people to do work that could be accomplished just as well by individuals. Successful programs focus on collaborative learning that fosters working together to solve problems beyond the capacity of any individual. A cooperative…

With the current influx of grants and national technology standards, many in Instructional Technology departments that serve teacher education programs wrestle with working outside initial certification areas. At Georgia State University, the Instructional Technology unit has been working closely with the Middle Childhood Education unit for the…

The Virtual High School (VHS) is a cooperative of over 125 high schools, funded by a Technology Innovation Challenge Grant. Teachers in the cooperative, with the help of teacher mentors, instructional technology experts, university faculty, and businesses, design and offer innovative courses over the Internet. This paper discusses VHS course…

The Military Career Transition Program (MCTP) at Old Dominion University (Virginia) is the primary alternative certification program for teacher licensure targeting military personnel who are transitioning into education careers. Beginning in the fall of 1998, the MCTP added distance learning to its existing course offerings at 5 of its 15 sites.…

This paper reports on a study that investigated group learning processes in computer-supported collaborative concept mapping. Thirty 5th grade Taiwanese students were selected to attend a computer-mediated collaborative concept mapping activity. Dialog messages and map products tracked and recorded by the mapping system were analyzed. The…

This paper presents a hybrid course framework at the Teachers College at Columbia University (New York) that seamlessly integrates a traditional course plan designed for on-campus students with an online course plan designed for distance learning students. Based on innovative teaching and learning principles, the course encourages active…

This book is designed to help school library media specialists fulfill their role as curriculum partner with teachers and administrators in the collaborative development, implementation, and assessment of the instructional program. Current theory and research, practical experiences of over 40 library media specialists, and step-by-step…

In multigrade instruction, children of at least a 2-year grade span and diverse ability levels are grouped in a single classroom and share experiences involving intellectual, academic, and social skills. "The Multigrade Classroom" is a seven-book series that provides an overview of current research on multigrade instruction, identifies…

This study looks at all students who participated in a Tech Prep program at Sinclair Community College, Ohio, and who first enrolled in the program between fall 1997 and spring 2001. The comparison group consisted of all non-Tech Prep students who started at Sinclair between fall 1997 and fall 2000, and who had not transferred credits from any…

A college statistics class for limited-English-speaking Hispanic students and students with disabilities incorporates principles of problem-based learning. Sessions start with brainstorming in which real-life problems are presented to raise issues, encourage participation, and generate enthusiasm. Using negotiation, the issues generated in the…

This paper reviews the research on cooperative learning combined with technology and presents a formative report of those findings. The review focused on these questions: What are the benefits of cooperative learning in a multimedia environment? What benefits do computer-based training offer? What are the benefits of cooperative learning…

This document contains: 2 videotapes and an accompanying viewer's guide that provide information for differentiating instruction for gifted learners and for students with special needs in inclusive classrooms. The first 50-minute videotape, "A Focus on Inclusion," discusses how to deliver appropriate curriculum to children with special…

This report analyzes the Academy of the Canyons (AOC) program at College of the Canyons (COC), California. AOC, a middle college high school, is a collaboration between the William S. Hart High School District and College of the Canyons. The program is designed to provide a supportive, flexible, and academically enriched environment for students…

The authors developed a collaborative learning environment (CLE) as a student-centered approach to assist students' understanding of difficult scientific concepts. Computer-facilitated investigative group projects were designed to enhance students' communication and reasoning skills, peer-learning, and peer-teaching. Projects were structured…