A small isolated school district and a large urban district, both in Washington, demonstrate the pivotal role of the district central office in implementing standards-based reform and making it work. District administrators set expectations; establish accountability measures; and provide key support for schools in the areas of curriculum…

The National Research Council completed a major study of undergraduate biology education, "BIO 2010-Transforming Undergraduate Education For Future Research Biologists (BIO 2010)," funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institutes of Health. The "BIO 2010" report recommends that biology pedagogy should use an…

Because of the pressing needs of young children, families, and communities, public policy advocacy efforts and civic engagement have never been more important. Practitioners in early childhood special education (ECSE) are in a unique position to encourage change on behalf of young children and their families. There are a number of ways in which…

In the twenty-first century, school improvement is the focal point for educational leadership, in which the school building administrator is recognized as the catalyst for this necessary improvement. Within the area of teacher evaluation, the evaluation tools, along with the amount of time, format, and feedback, have changed dramatically from the…

In this article, the challenges and issues of designing next generation learning environments using current and emerging technologies are addressed. An overview of the issues is provided as well as design principles that support the design of instruction and the overall learning environment. Specific methods for creating cognitively complex,…

The birth and hospitalization of a preterm infant have powerful effects on the emerging parent-infant relationship. Characteristics of parents, infant factors, and factors in the hospital and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) environments--in addition to the circumstances surrounding preterm birth--may disrupt parent-infant relationships.…

In his February Commentary for "Adults Learning" (Volume 16, Number 6), NIACE Director Alan Tuckett warned that without greater public investment, provision for many adults would be under threat. This article presents several responses from some important players, from across the learning and skills sector. These include: (1)…

As student fees, print vs. electronic access, service quality expectations, and basic economics have an increasing impact on library operations, some academic libraries are taking a second look at the process of charging overdue fines. This article explores the contemporary environment on this issue. It offers as an example a compromise solution…

The original work of Alex Osborn making the creative process more explicit, and the following 50 years of research and development on creative problem solving, have made an important and wide-spread contribution to those interested in the deliberate development of creative talent. This article provided a summary of the many versions of creative…

Schools in Singapore are now tasked to develop the spirit of innovation and enterprise in their students. This is in line with the national vision of "Thinking Schools, Learning Nation". This policy initiative, which began in 2004, is set to change the fundamental nature of education in Singapore. This article discusses the innovation…

In Japan, there has been an increased concern about family and community participation in the child's education. Traditionally, the role of parents and community in Japan has been one of support and less one of active involvement in school learning. Since the government commenced education reforms in the last quarter of the 20th century, a more…

According to Denehy (1999), "school nurses can play a powerful role in promoting health in their schools and community." She encouraged school nurses to "Take and make opportunities to promote health in the classroom" (p. 4). Classroom presentation of hearing conservation information is one way for school nurses to promote health and to reduce the…

Transforming schools into truly egalitarian institutions requires a holistic and integrated approach. Using a robust conception of "equality of condition", we examine key dimensions of equality that are central to both the purposes and processes of education: equality in educational and related resources; equality of respect and recognition;…

Schools are facing major problems today that are only marginally addressed by most reform initiatives or by standards-based federal and state legislation. New and different strategies are required if schools are to adequately serve their students and communities. This article demonstrates that service-learning is one dynamic way to promote school…

Recent Florida legislation changes have resulted in policy modifications reflecting a "get tough" approach to juvenile crime. In 2000, budget cuts by the Florida legislature eliminated one of the state's primary community service-oriented juvenile diversion programs, the Juvenile Alternative Services Program (JASP). JASP was subsequently…