A historic problem in knowledge use is the gap--the disconnect--between research and practice. This gap is particularly noticeable in the education of children with disabilities and of others who are placed at risk of school failure--areas in which the United States Department of Education has invested significant research and development…

This paper describes the results of a productive collaboration between university instructors who linked the principles and theories in reading methods coursework with the practical field experience of preservice teachers. The objectives of the collaboration were: to counter the effects of the isolation of theoretical premises of reading…

Narratives are the preferred model for conserving and communicating practical craft knowledge. The undercurrent of narratives was examined in three sites where practical craft knowledge was communicated: (1) a kitchen in a fishing community; (2) high school classrooms; and (3) a staffroom where teachers tell novices and researchers stories in…

Data from recent international conferences and existing studies show that adult literacy research questions pursued by academicians and those pursued by practitioners are markedly different. Research concerns expressed by these two groups, in both developed and developing countries, are based on different assumptions regarding the nature,…

The personal attitudes of a writing instructor are often much more important than the pedagogical orientation, and certain teacher attitudes seem to affect student performance and attitude more than others. Research on writing apprehension shows a correlation between attitude and writing. Several theorists have postulated that the sources of…

This paper explores the concept of critical thinking as it applies to school administrators and offers ideas for incorporating it into their operative skills. Following a review of pertinent literature, recommendations are made to: (1) develop an assessment process in educational administration programs to ensure that future school leaders have a…

This article discusses a primary level mathematics research program, Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), which investigates the impact of providing primary teachers with access to a structured, coherent body of knowledge about children's thinking in mathematics on teachers' knowledge and beliefs, their instruction, and their students' learning.…

The case study method has received increased attention at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in a number of public relations programs. Unlike the Harvard managerial-oriented case studies, the approach useful in large, introductory public relations courses stems from a simplified team approach to classroom projects, case studies in the…

This book provides new tools for thinking about and designing the education system. Four sections, each with its own introduction, follow Charles M. Reigeluth's introductory chapter, "Introduction: The Imperative for Systemic Change." Section 1 describes some theoretical frameworks for understanding the "big ideas" of system…

This publication contains four chapters that examine the reform of administrator preparation programs. In "The Reform Paradigm: Exploring the Fuzzy Logic of Educational Administration," William Ammentorp and Thomas Morgan develop a model based on linguistic algorithms to understand qualitative policy formation and decision making. In "Student…

This booklet contains four selected conference papers on educational reform and restructuring. In "Can Rational Organization Models Really Reform Anything? A Case Study of Reform in Chicago," Fenwick English describes reform efforts in the Chicago Public Schools and examines the political, social, organizational, and bureaucratic factors that have…

Pressed by the vise created by the "era of accountability" and evolving theory which emphasizes constructing meaning and problem solving, educators have become more articulate about defending the classroom impact of new theory. Assessment in the classroom is following contemporary descriptions of learning, thinking, and language use as…

Arranged chronologically, the essays in this book trace the attempts of one writing teacher (Patricia Bizzell) to understand theoretically--and to respond pedagogically--to what happens when students from diverse backgrounds learn to use language in college. Over the 10-year period chronicled in the essays that make up the book, the teacher sees…

A case study examined implementation of a critical literacy perspective (in both course content and course processes) in a Master's level course in the supervision of reading. Subjects were 10 married, white, female teachers. The course engaged in the interrogation of the teachers' literacy beliefs, teaching approaches, and schools' curricula in…

This paper links areas of research with implications for community prevention strategies aimed at high-risk children. Collaborative efforts to reduce the number of at-risk children in rural communities can be advanced by merging knowledge from the following areas: (1) the causal pathways leading to substance abuse and identification of risk…