Describes a study that examined the extent and perception of the use of telecourses at U.S. research universities. Research on telecourse utilization in higher education and on innovation is reviewed; and results are reported indicating that use tends to be related to specific institutional factors such as institutional size and ownership. (86…

Discussion of the impact of systemic educational change on the school funding mechanism addresses the forces driving school finance and examines new outcome-driven funding models. The implications of decentralization of school districts are considered; and advantages, disadvantages, and implementation of voucher and incentive models are presented.…

Discusses the impact that computer-assisted technologies, including applications to software, video recordings, and satellite broadcasts, have had upon the conventions and procedures within engineering education. Calls for the complete utilization of such devices through their appropriate integration into updated education activities effectively…

Seven secondary teachers of 57 students with learning disabilities used a videodisc program to teach fractions. Teacher and student reactions were very positive, almost two-thirds of the students reached or exceeded criterion performance, and teaching styles of participating teachers subsequently became more interactive. (JDD)

Discusses considerations and decisions related to facilitating the infusion of science-technology-society (STS) content and skills into school curriculum, noting factors that might help sustain instruction after it begins. Components of the STS framework include definition and goals, location within the curriculum, instructional approaches, and a…

The challenging context of technology education programs necessitates integration with fields of study like science and society and requires attention to the evolution of science and technology as a significant field which meets the needs of today's society. The article discusses essential curricular and program elements for attaining…

The capacity of teachers and school districts adequately to assess science-technology-society education efforts in various subject areas and to defend reliability and validity of such instruments will determine the future of STS education. The article outlines general considerations and provides examples of assessment measures in STS education.…

This case study of the origins and development of junior high schools illustrates the shrinking of aspirations and adaptation of school reform to the existing social architecture that occur as the reform becomes institutionalized. Institutional theories of organizations are used to explain this phenomenon. (SLD)

A Lewinian orientation to educational problems fits current innovative thinking in education (e.g., models for making education multicultural), and provides the bases of important applied work on cooperative learning techniques and constructive ways of structuring conflict within educational settings. Lewinian field theory provides a broad…

Bennington College (Vermont) president Elizabeth Coleman is pursuing a controversial plan to transform the institution, financially and intellectually. Debate centers on whether her plan is truly innovative and will return the college to a former vitality or constitutes a hasty housecleaning. Faculty dismissals are under investigation. (MSE)

Examines general instructional strategies and specific intervention programs that are frequently discussed for their potential for improving education for African American students and that have a strong research base and appear particularly promising. Prerequisites for effective implementation of innovative approaches are discussed. Effective…

Discusses policies, legislation, educational practices, and innovative early childhood programs designed to revitalize the languages and cultures of Catalonia and the Basque Autonomous Region. Opposition to these practices and programs is also discussed. (BG)

This article reviews lessons learned from the agricultural extension model that may apply to the proposed cooperative extension service in education. The agricultural extension model is a user-oriented system linking knowledge producers with other knowledge users. In education, the adopters of innovations may be organizations as well as…

Presents the profile of an elementary teacher who, dissatisfied with her teaching performance, returned to college, visited innovative schools, then created a nontraditional public elementary classroom with an interdisciplinary approach. Currently, she wants to open a charter school shaped around her teaching method. (SM)

Lists 10 lies commonly told about educational quality and reform. Not recognizing that a problem exists is the main reason why educational reform is pursued casually. Meaningful change requires time, restructuring, and the active participation of teachers, but schools alone cannot provide all that children need. (SLD)