Ten examples of innovative and outstanding middle school/junior high science programs are described. These programs were selected using state criteria and at least four independent reviewers. While Project Synthesis offered a desired state, these examples of excellence provided views of what is already a reality. The goals of an exemplary science…

Designed to acquaint new instructors at the Community College of Vermont (CCV) with the workings of the college and to offer all instructors some thoughts and tips to enhance their teaching experience, this handbook presents a mix of information on theory and practice of teaching and learning and on practical administrative matters. Following…

In 1988, Midlands Technical College (MTC) launched a comprehensive institutional effectiveness initiative involving two primary components, planning and evaluation. Planning at MTC is composed of a strategic planning cycle and a complementary operational planning cycle. Strategic planning, conducted in two-year cycles, establishes the essential…

This handbook was developed as one of the objectives of a 3-year federally-funded model project to teach remedial mathematics to community college students with learning disabilities (LD). The underlying theme of this document is to provide a comprehensive plan to assist faculty, tutors, learning center personnel and others engaged in the effort…

Many education reformers criticize the mediocre state of learning in high schools in the United States. In order to insure that all students have equal access to high quality teaching, it is argued that educators must explore the potent connections among school setting, ability grouping, teaching methods, and student opportunity to learn. The…

Steps in the administrative job search, with a focus on marketing oneself, are described in detail in this guidebook. Topics of discussion are as follows: preparatory organization (getting started); defining one's priorities; writing a resume and letter of application; maintaining a placement file; surviving the screening and interview processes;…

A study was conducted using 292 sixth-graders (aged 12) and 301 eighth-graders (aged 14) from nine comprehensive schools in Joensuu, Finland to examine the effective properties of closed and open English vocabulary tasks in individualistic and cooperative learning situations. The report is based on a larger study "Situation- and Task-Specific…

This guide describes various tutoring methods and supportive roles performed by volunteers in adult literacy programs. The practices described usually complement instruction in adult education and literacy classes as well as expand the delivery system of programs and services to the adult learner. The 25 practices described are grouped under the…

This module contains instructional materials on instrumentation to help teachers train students in the job skills they will need as beginning instrumentation technicians. The module addresses the nature of accessing, measuring, and controlling phenomena such as level, flow, pressure, and temperature. Students are introduced to the devices and…

A sample of 15 eighth-grade Hispanic students in a bilingual classroom were used for a descriptive analysis of students' writing samples to compare their growth between pre- and post- writing samples in Spanish and English. This was accomplished by juxtaposing English and Spanish pre- and post-tests using the same holistic rubric developed by the…

Reasons for poor performance in mathematics by students in the United States are discussed. According to the authors, too many students never experience arithmetic at a physical, concrete level. Students are drilled in arithmetic facts without any meaningful context and are given few opportunities to use numerical concepts in real-life…

The aim of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) project "Science, Mathematics, and Technology" is to formulate recommendations for educational policy. Preparations for the project were made in each of the various member countries. Reported here are the results of the Netherlands meeting. The conference and…

This guide provides activities based on 13 Mathnet cases that are part of the television program Square One TV. Mathnet is a detective serial which ends each program. Each Mathnet activity consists of a case summary, two short activities, and one longer step-by-step activity, with a reproducible student activity page. Topics include geometry,…

Thirty-seven small high schools in 22 states, ranging in enrollment from 27 to 328 students in the top 4 grades, were visited to obtain information on the outstanding aspects of their educational program, teaching methods, or physical facilities. Information was also obtained from six teachers and one administrator from seven schools in the Rocky…

This teacher's guide was developed to aid in presenting units on general metal trades to students in Texas. The units are intended to provide students with basic knowledge and skills for each area of instruction in the general metal trades, and with the basic entry-level skills they will need in order to enter industry as trained workers. This…