In response to the growing calls for accountability in higher education, accreditation associations are requiring institutions to develop strategic plans designed to enhance student learning. This requirement can be recast as a unique opportunity to promote institution-wide introspection and collaboration. Such a plan can foster an open dialogue…

This article presents an interview with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan by NAESP Executive Director Gail Connelly. In this interview, Secretary Duncan discusses the Obama administration's vision, initiatives, and goals for America's elementary and middle-level education and the impact on the nation's principals.

For the better part of two decades, the author and his research colleagues have been engaged in a broad program of research aimed at identifying certain of the "social determinants of health and wellbeing" common to Canadian First Nation, Metis, and Inuit youth. The present account samples from these ongoing research efforts by recapping…

Purpose: This study seeks to develop and describe the benchmarking approach of enhancement-led evaluation in higher education and to present a cross-evaluation process for degree programmes. Design/methodology/approach: The benchmarking approach produces useful information for the development of degree programmes based on self-evaluation,…

This account of practice will explore how action learning has supported local authorities by providing an opportunity to share learning and experiences across organisational boundaries. It will look at the experiences of a new action learning facilitator working with local government scrutiny officers from different organisations.

On the basis of a three-year study of the role of popular education in local development processes in Sweden (2006-2008), this paper sets out to outline the role of popular education as a development actor in rural and urban contexts. Two different scenarios and approaches are discussed. One is the role of popular education in rural areas, which…

This article reports on a design study aimed at achieving that students experience their learning as meaningful. Two conditions for meaningful activities were identified: (1) students should be motivated to attain a certain goal and (2) they should have rudimentary conceptual and procedural knowledge of how to attain that goal. Together, these…

Given the disproportionally dire educational outcome data for students from families with low income, school counselors are challenged to advocate, educate, and collaborate with stakeholders to address the pernicious and prevalent achievement and access gaps. After an examination of the inequitable current conditions for these students and…

If today there exists a single transcendent idea about the family-school connection, it is that a positive parent-child relationship improves children's chances of succeeding in school. However, using data from the Texas Higher Education Opportunity Project (N = 5,836), we demonstrate that, although positive parent-child relations are associated…

Austin Community College (ACC) District's P-16 Initiative supports partnerships with 30 school districts--reaching traditionally underserved students and bridging the gap between high school and college--so more Texas students can reach their educational goals. The P-16 Initiative is a constellation of efforts designed to provide broad-based…

Two purposes for early childhood assessment systems are informing program development and providing accountability. Based on findings from a case study of a local Head Start program implementing the National Reporting System (NRS) in 2004-2005, we provide 5 lessons learned from experiences with the NRS that may have implications for other…

This paper responds to Michael Hand's argument in "Against autonomy as an educational aim" ("Oxford Review of Education", 32, 535-550), refutes it and identifies two faults at its foundation. Through this criticism, the paper makes a substantiated case, both theoretical and empirical, for endorsing the value of education for…

This study explored the educational aspirations of immigrant and native students in an urban community college. Using Burton Clark's cooling-out theory as a framework, the study looked at choices students make when applying to college and the extent to which students later change their aspirations. Immigrant students who were educated in United…

This paper considers the views of young people aged 14-16 about their future education, training and occupation. It is based on a study of around 3000 year 11 pupils in 45 educational settings in England during 2007/2008, supplemented by documentary analysis, official statistics, and interviews and surveys with staff and parents. Pupil-reported…

This essay is an updated revision of an essay published by Marca V. C. Wolfensberger in the "Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council" 5.2 (fall/winter 2004): 55-66. A lot has changed in the Dutch honours landscape since the original version of the study was published. Although the body of knowledge is increasing, the insight…