This third publication on the theme of quality in the Commonwealth of Learning Perspectives on Distance Education series widens the discussion beyond external quality assurance processes to a more generic focus on a "culture of quality." It is an extension of the earlier two publications, which came out in 1994 and 1997 and drew…

Through a literature review regarding teacher job satisfaction in the U.S. and in China, in terms of community factors, school factors, and teacher characteristics, this paper finds that most teachers in both countries are satisfied with their jobs, but teachers cited various factors influencing their job satisfaction. This paper makes a…

The Veterans Health Administration (VA) provides a case study for linking performance measurement, information technology, and aligned research efforts to facilitate quality improvement in a large, complex health system. Dialogue between clinical researchers and VA leaders occurs through structured activities (e.g., the Quality Enhancement…

This study investigated the practice of a cooperating teacher preparing a student teacher to integrate technology into teaching and learning activities. Descriptive statistics and qualitative methods were used for data collection. Data were gathered from multiple venues during a semester-long student teaching experience. Sources included…

Individual educational plans (IEPs) are considered to be more effective when designed and implemented by a multidisciplinary team. This paper deals with the IEP as a collaborative tool for the education of pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). Ten pupils with PMLD and the people working around them (e.g. teacher, speech…

Middletown High School is a comprehensive high school with 1,970 students, located in the environs of Washington, DC. It is distinguished by an open enrollment policy for all courses; a strong emphasis on inclusion of students with learning disabilities (LD) in general education classrooms; block scheduling that allows for more in-depth and…

The study was designed to identify specific components of teacher excellence, focusing initially on the characteristics of the small number of teachers of the deaf who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), then comparing those with the characteristics of other teachers identified as master teachers by…

This case study examines the roles that a professor, graduate student, consultant, and community education specialist at a public university in California have played in a partnership with an elementary school and a community-based organization in a nearby rural town. The case reveals that individuals' roles and approaches to public engagement…

The school-wide application of positive behavior support (PBS) is a prevention-oriented approach to student discipline that is characterized by its focus on defining and teaching behavioral expectations, rewarding appropriate behaviors, continual evaluation of its effectiveness, and the integration of supports for individuals, groups, the school…

Using a dialogue journal during a school year helped a 10th-grade student focus on skills that build responsibility and self-reliance. The Expanded Core Curriculum (Hatlen, 1996) addresses disability specific skills that include compensatory and social interaction skills. Providing instruction in organization, time management, and self-advocacy…

Rural teaching is a phenomenon often characterised by transitions: transitions from urban or regional universities to rural communities, between rural teaching posts and others, and from classroom teaching to leadership responsibilities. In the last century many Australian teachers have begun their careers, that is, they have undertaken the…

The pressures facing universities today are manifold, and universities throughout the world have come to realise that they can no longer proceed as they have done in the past. In many nations universities are being forced to perform a delicate balancing act between promoting increased access to tertiary education, while at the same time dealing…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to indicate and illustrate the potential for use of different types of technologies to support knowledge process in transnational organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a standard literature review plus illustrations from case organisations to demonstrate the potential applications and…

This article considers a hypothetical decision by a hypothetical learner about whether or not to participate in an online "discussion", viewed through the lens of risk analysis. It begins with the premise that participation online is desirable but that it involves the participant in risk, a fact that needs to be acknowledged and taken into account…

Over the last decade teacher educators have started to systematically study the processes involved in their efforts to improve their teacher education practices. This research by teacher educators (self-study research) has made an enormous contribution to the professional development of the teacher educators involved. Many teacher educators,…