Although film and video archives are abundant and inexpensive and contain stories of leaders from a variety of occupations and historical periods, teachers of graduate-level educational administration courses rarely use them in their classrooms. This paper describes the advantages of using film/video as a teaching tool; in particular, its…

The role of theory in the restructuring of schools and curriculum is discussed. Theory is defined as a set of assumptions from which laws or principles may be derived. The descriptive, analytical, and predictive characteristics of theory are described. The examination of the relationship of theory to practice leads to the conclusion that they are…

To enhance the relevance and usefulness of social-science research, large-scale research grant-allocation policies are emphasizing, if not requiring, the formation of research partnerships between researchers and members of the community of practice. The emergence of a revisionist conception of traditional dissemination and utilization of…

Problem-based learning (PBL) has gained credibility and some use in institutions of higher education. This paper provides a brief conceptual discussion of PBL and the idea of "problem," and describes one learning model that incorporates PBL as a method for moving students to high levels of learning. The second portion of the paper describes one…

This paper expresses points of view about what is needed to create a knowledge base for educational improvement. It argues that educators have failed to build a strong foundation for education's presumed cumulative effect. The paper assesses the claim that education constitutes a profession and discusses ways to improve the current educational…

This paper summarizes the discussions of a workshop that brought together 74 neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists, education researchers and practitioners, and policymakers to explore the possible relevance to early childhood education and special education of recent developments in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. The report discusses:…

This publication consists of two reports that were commissioned by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization as background for its biennial report on world education. The first paper, "Educational Psychology and Teaching Methods in China: Developments and Trends," by Duan Huifen and others, indicates that…

This anthology of 22 published articles and book chapters written by Dorothy Watson (the first president of the Whole Language Umbrella) were chosen for their historical importance, centrality to Watson's body of work, lack of availability, and/or their ongoing relevance to teachers. Items in the anthology are grouped to reflect major themes…

"Te Whaariki," the "draft guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice in [New Zealand] early childhood services," constitutes a set of principles which can guide practice, rather than a structure for curriculum planning. The guidelines have the potential to provide a theoretical rationale for the application of the…

Although most community college faculty are not engaged in research, community college settings can provide research opportunities for those faculty members determined to overcome the considerable obstacles. At Whatcom Community College, in Washington, for example, constraints facing faculty seeking to conduct research include limited access to…

Action research can be an effective strategy to help school-based professionals build a knowledge base that connects classroom practice and classroom theory. Action research does not build theory and is generally not transferable; rather, it examines why something is happening or might happen in a particular setting and circumstances. Action…

Whole language, a theory of language instruction that was developed primarily in terms of helping children learn to read, has now been extended to middle- and secondary-school levels. Andragogy, the learning of adults, is a specific theory of adult education, conceived in contradistinction to pedagogy, the teaching of children. When these two…

Writing and teaching case studies of problematic educational situations or events to undergraduate preservice teachers raises several practical issues relevant to the success of the method. These concerns include: knowledge of the undergirding rationale for using cases; knowledge of the advantages, disadvantages, and practical problems in case…

This booklet examines four philosophical approaches which undergird the tenets of middle school: (1) invitational education; (2) democratic schools; (3) constructivist teaching; and (4) reflective teaching. An introduction discusses the history of the middle school movement, lists characteristics of exemplary middle schools, presents…

This collection focuses on a particular kind of teacher development, called "guiding teacher learning" or "guided practice" to distinguish it from teachers' independent learning in and from teaching. The papers grew out of a seminar for doctoral students interested in developing their practice as teacher educators and…