Explores legislative conditions that promote charter-school autonomy, applying a conceptual framework of autonomy to assess variations among state charter-school policies. Results suggest that state policies offer different self-governance levels and thereby influence charter schools' innovative ability and performance potential. Variations are…

Reports on a study, Project REMODEL, that implemented and evaluated innovations in lecture, laboratory, and assessment for students in the introductory sequence for undergraduate chemistry. Results indicate that special sessions and conceptual exam questions can improve students' abilities to work successfully with both concepts and algorithms.…

Describes an educational program that involves students in the construction process to help them better understand the entire operation and expose them to new ways of thinking about the structure around them. (GR)

Reviews the increase in corporate universities and in corporation-university partnerships, survival strategies that academic institutions have adopted to meet complex technological demands of the corporate sector, and benefits of innovation and collaboration. Discusses shifting paradigms, planning models, and future directions. (Contains 15…

Research conducted to identify challenges associated with inclusion of information and communications technologies (ICT) in construction curriculum in a British college. ICT had the potential to provide cost effective and efficient training. However, human issues, including staff training, student access to equipment, and communication across the…

Suggests the field of education has paid little attention to complexities involved in large-scale replication of curricular changes and other new directions for school-based interventions, which has contributed to the failure of many reforms. Highlights a framework of general phases and specific steps for diffusion of major new approaches across a…

Roberta Guaspari-Tzavoras teaches 125 young violinists in 2 East Harlem elementary schools. Students are chosen by lottery. The only prerequisite is a willingness to do the hard work of practicing and learning. Her success in coaching inner-city students to a performance in Carnegie hall is the subject of a documentary and a feature film. (MLF)

Attributes of a successful school district include a sterling reputation; a high-quality management team; sound preparation for students' future; ability to attract, develop, and retain quality staff; a sound financial position; leadership that earns loyalty; hard and soft values; innovation and commitment; community stewardship; and character.…

Through recent doctoral research, the author examined the powerful force of school culture, as well as other factors, and the role it plays in schools with multiage classrooms. Combined with his personal experiences, he is certain of one thing: School-based innovations face an uphill battle. This article briefly discusses the author's examination…

Six years ago, South Heights Elementary School was the lowest-performing school in Kentucky's Henderson County School District. Teachers blamed poverty lack of parent involvement, poor discipline, and high staff turnover for the situation. Few expected to meet the state goals. Yet by 2004, South Heights was the fifth-highest-performing school in…

This article discusses the technology of instant messaging (IM), a relatively simple form of communication. It is also--by its very nature--a collaborative communications tool. This collaborative nature is what makes IM ideal for educational and learning environments. With IM playing such a large role in the communication, interactivity, and…

This article describes a theory about the ambition of most Inspectorates to realise 'school improvement through inspection'. Literature about a number of direct and indirect interventions, such as reciprocity, communication and feedback is used to build a theoretical model stating the relations between working methods of school inspectors,…

With the departure in January 2006 of the first head of the Department of Education's office of innovation and improvement, those who follow the 3 and a half-year-old-office are wondering whether it will continue to play a prominent role in federal policy or whether its influence will fade. Nina Shokraii Rees, a former aide to Vice President Dick…

An important touchstone of distance education has been to contribute to the development of individual learners whatever their life circumstances. The first half of the article provides an overview of this contribution and of the understanding and awareness that has been developed about distance learners in their individual learning contexts. The…

In this commentary, I summarize my own research with colleagues to affirm Dr. Gersten's call for considering design experiments prior to conducting intervention research. I describe how design experiments not only can inform teaching and the learning of innovative approaches, but also hold the promise of effectively bridging the…