For several years, there have been varying and often conflicting viewpoints and definitions of what formative assessment is--is it a product, is it a process, is it something that can be bought? One source of confusion about this issue has come from products and services sold by curriculum and assessment vendors, touted as "formative assessment."…

This paper aims to contribute to the discussion on the quality and accessibility of underpinning knowledge in competency-based training. It uses the Vocational Graduate Certificate and the Vocational Graduate Diploma in Education Design in a Queensland TAFE [technical and further education] institute to examine how the "traditional"…

There is widespread emphasis on reform in the teaching of introductory statistics at the college level. Underpinning this reform is a consensus among educators and practitioners that traditional curricular materials and pedagogical strategies have not been effective in promoting statistical literacy, a competency that is becoming increasingly…

It is often assumed that graduating engineering students readily envision what it means to be an engineer and what type of work they will be doing as engineers in the future. How can one know if this is true? This research begins to answer these questions by aiming to understand undergraduate engineering students' perceptions of themselves as…

The Minnesota Conference for Teachers of Children with Emotional and Behavior Disorders (EBD) hosted a panel discussion in the fall of 2005 to reunite pioneers in the field of research and publication who shaped the early instructional practices of educators working with disturbed and disturbing youth in schools. The distinguished researchers and…

Introduction: Different authors have proposed LPP as a pedagogical theorization framework to facilitate the linkage of psychological theory to teaching practice because it is useful for designing and assessing the effectiveness of pedagogical practice. This study aimed at testing the utility of the LPP-based theory-informed strategy at promoting…

The contemporary university operates within a global context characterized by ever-increasing uncertainty and complexity. Strategic planning must, therefore, be cognizant of future trends and how those trends will affect the university by creating both threats and opportunities. Our hypothesis is that an approach we refer to as "strategic…

The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) at Clemson University has been at the forefront of identifying model dropout prevention programs and promoting the use of best practices to increase the graduation rates in schools since 1986. The structure for these varied interventions and solutions takes the form of effective strategies, model…

This article summarizes the papers presented in the discussion group focused on the theme "Models for the Analysis of Individual and Group Needs" at the joint symposium of the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, Society for Vocational Psychology, and National Career Development Association held in Padua,…

This paper explicates the implications of my research on conflict management for self improvement and for practitioners who work to improve the conflict management of others. I also note how my experiences with practitioners have informed my research.

The foundation for a successful college is framed by both institutional values exhibited in its mission, culture, structure, and organization and the way the college implements these values. Thus the college's institutional values must be real and respected. As Schein (1996) would say, these institutional values must be some of the things that…

The construction of a pedagogy of teacher education requires a sustained, systematic, and careful inquiry into one's own practice, predicated on the understanding that teaching is a discipline. This article begins by arguing that it is more appropriate to speak of a basis for knowing, rather than a knowledge base, for thinking about teaching and…

The connection between teacher inquiry, professional development and school improvement was recognised 30 years ago by Lawrence Stenhouse. Stenhouse contributed many valuable insights into the role of practitioner enquiry in creating and utilising knowledge about teaching and learning, much of which is still to be applied systematically in teacher…

The research set out in this paper seeks to develop pedagogical knowledge regarding how persuasive teaching approaches can be developed in primary science classrooms. To achieve this, the paper examines three case studies in which the teachers have been charged to develop and implement teaching strategies designed to persuade their children of the…

Today's educators are faced with the challenge of preparing undergraduate students to be productive employees who can communicate effectively, work well in teams, and solve problems, as well as demonstrate content knowledge. Group projects are one tool that educators can use to help students develop these key skills. Educators may be tempted to…