Describes a study of strategies used by language and literature faculty in Virginia's community colleges to keep abreast of new developments in their fields and of these strategies' perceived effectiveness. Suggests that increasing professional development time, collegiality, and accessibility and flexibility in graduate programs are essential for…

Describes the background and goals of the International Society for Technology in Education and lists support services for users of computer-based technology in the classroom, including conferences, publications, special interest groups, professional development opportunities, policy committees, accreditation recommendations for colleges of…

Explains goal-based scenario (GBS) learning environments. Topics discussed include defining educational requirements; characteristics of a GBS, including hardware and software; an example of a GBS currently in operation to teach client consulting skills, including user reactions; assessing learning; the use of simulation; and the roles of the…

Discusses information science needs in China and describes a specialized information program at Jilin University of Technology that was developed to prepare students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to work at special libraries or information centers for management and engineering professionals. Courses are described, and degree and…

Discussion of the need for management training for librarians focuses on the New Jersey Library Leadership Institute, which was developed to provide such training for early career professional librarians working in New Jersey. Skills training, a mentoring component, and a practicum are described; and evaluation results are discussed. (LRW)

The reliability and validity of the Working with Young Children and Their Families instrument were tested with 101 of 192 occupational therapists surveyed. The form proved to be a reliable way of measuring the outcome of workshops to improve therapists' competence in working with families of children with special needs. (SK)

Examines the community of libraries and library schools for the probability of its long-term survival in its present form. Evolutionary rates are considered, essential functions now performed by the library community are described, and two new functions are recommended for future survival: (1) research leadership in information science, and (2)…

Based on a case study of continuing education and development of a race relations policy in Metropolitan Toronto Police, first article reviews issues in police training and approaches to race relations education. Second article considers that the learning took place outside the classroom and was collaborative (police-community), concluding that…

Once regarded as a by-product for colleges and universities, continuing-education programs now provide needed revenues. Adult students now account for half of all college enrollments. Many full-time faculty are dismissive of adult-education classes, often taught by adjunct professors, but the programs are gaining respect among administrations.…

Explains tenants of quality professional development using a beginning teacher's experiences for illustration. Suggests that professional development should: focus on single subject; focus on participants' needs; be ongoing and sustained; engage participants in pursuit of answers to genuine questions, problems, and curiosities; provide…

Discussion of networked continuing professional development (CPD) for staff in higher education focuses on two case studies: one uses the outcomes of a graduate course to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-conferencing system; the second uses learning outcomes to influence the redesign of a CPD program to a Web-based open learning system.…

The New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center developed a self-guided Internet course to help New Mexico's rural health-care providers treat and counsel today's changing AIDS patients. The Center also provides on-site customized training to rural health-care providers, acts as an information center, and funds mini-sabbaticals during which…

Reviews the Web as an instructional delivery medium and describes a hybrid model for continuing medical education (CME) delivery that merges the Web and CD-ROM. Discusses an evaluation that demonstrated the effectiveness of the model for delivering CME to rural physicians in regions with low bandwidth. (SK)

Traces the creation and development of the Southeastern Regional Professional Development Center (Ohio), and examines accomplishments and challenges in interdistrict collaboration on staff development. Center strengths include rural location and culture, attitudes supporting sharing and interdependence, collaboration with higher education, local…

Surveyed 50 experienced child care center directors about what training experiences most influenced their skill development. Found that directors often had to learn on the job; life experience strongly shapes performance; training opportunities were often outside the field; management training helps acting directors most; conferences are most…