An overview is presented of the epistemology of the three types of constructivism. Criticized is another interpretation of constructivism; it is stated that this interpretation is trivial, cognitively abridged, and disrespectful of students' capacities, creativity, and imagination. Constructivism has to go beyond saying that knowledge is…

In 1990, a survey of full-time faculty and staff was conducted at Catonsville Community College (CCC) in Maryland to assess perceptions of the college's climate, academic practices, curriculum, faculty, academic and student support services, and facilities. The "Seven Principles for Good Practices in Undergraduate Teaching" instrument was…

The process of development of tests for teacher certification in Tennessee is described. In response to the Tennessee Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984 requiring the use of tests for individuals seeking initial teacher licensure, the Department of Education identified 12 areas of teacher endorsement for which no currently validated and…

Memphis State University conducted a study for the Tennessee Department of Education to determine the validity of 11 previously unvalidated, extensively revised, or new Educational Testing Service (ETS) tests as measures of the skills and knowledge required for specific initial certification endorsements of public school personnel in Tennessee.…

In 1980, a study was conducted to evaluate the cognitive development of community college graduates. Data were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. The control variables used in the analysis were three socioeconomic variables and scores on two standardized tests of verbal and mathematical achievement. The…

An examination of the ways in which teachers gain and use knowledge about their work is presented through a case study using retrospective interviews with a high school English teacher in Canada. The teacher's "practical knowledge" was explored in a series of open-ended discussions, dealing with the teacher's involvement in the development of an…

The document suggests that problems of land use control can often be solved by applying geographic skills in analyzing the physical, economic, and cultural attributes of land. The paper is intended predominately for use by citizens' groups as they study the legal and judicial components of land management legislation. It can also be used as…

The history of the Bush Public School Executive Fellows program is described. The primary objective of the program is to increase the ability of chief Minnesota school executives to guide and direct the design and delivery of public education in a more effective and efficient manner. Participation is designed to increase their ability to more…

Departmental differences in student perceptions of teaching effectiveness were measured using behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS). The 495 college students were taking junior and senior level courses in art, business, computer science, French, psychology, and sociology. Each subject completed either the BARS or a simple summated scale, both…

The effectiveness of the simulation-gaming method of instruction as opposed to the lecture-discussion method in teaching a college introductory economics course is examined. One hundred and twenty Ashland College freshmen were tested to determine their knowledge, interest, and training in economics; retention of knowledge seven weeks after the…

This collection of cognitive and affective objectives, and related measurement instruments, concerns knowledge of and attitudes toward prescription drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. It describes procedures used in developing, field testing, administering, and scoring the tests. Objectives are listed by grade range: secondary (grades…

This diagnostic skills checklist enables the methods and materials specialists to note the reading and spelling skills the child has mastered, those skills which are weak or not developed, and those skills which are clearly beyond the child's capability of mastering because of insufficiently developed abilities at lower, prerequisite levels. Also…

There are many different approaches to educational research. They include the efforts of those who hope to make contributions to educational knowledge and theory through researching their own educational practices as teachers and researchers. In communicating an educational epistemology of practice, it is intended that the document show a…

Examples from a multiyear project in a Los Angeles (California) school in a low-income Hispanic school district illustrate successes of a program to improve the early reading achievement of Spanish-speaking primary school children. The interplay of research, practice, and school improvement resulted in significant improvement in early Spanish…

A study was conducted of 255 Chicago teachers (132 general, 91 special education, and 32 other school personnel) at elementary, middle, and high school levels to measure attitudes towards inclusive classrooms. Findings indicated the general education teachers were less knowledgeable about special education law, less skillful in working with…