Details project supporting early childhood teachers' efforts to incorporate into their instruction their own learning about natural history from explorations of their urban environment. Identifies vital components of teaching environmental science: context, connections, and communication. Discusses the importance of nurturing respect, facilitating…

Reports on an evaluation of an undergraduate program in industrial/organizational psychology (College of New Jersey) five years after its implementation in order to assess the effectiveness of the program and identify areas in need of change. Describes the program and makes recommendations for future directions. (CMK)

Study reports pupils' views of the guidance system in Scotland, considers pupils' potential to contribute to school self-evaluation and improvement, and what their involvement in evaluation might mean for the future development of guidance provision. Highlights the importance of the pupils' perspective and identifies fundamental issues which have…

Describes an intervention involving social-support-focused discussion groups for the transition to university. Fifty first-year students participating in six groups showed better adjustment to university and fewer behavioral problems compared with a randomly assigned control group (N=46) at a follow-up evaluation conducted at the end of the year.…

New superintendents of three urban school districts turned to a group of "critical friends" from other school districts and education agencies to conduct formal evaluations of their school systems. Leaders in private industry have long relied on outside perspectives. The process can dispel professional isolation. (MLH)

This commentary discusses the wide acceptance of and the expenditure of limited resources on unproven behavioral therapies for individuals with autism. Considerations that need to be reviewed before adopting a behavioral treatment are outlined, including the need to establish whether direct effects can be attributed to a treatment. (Contains 11…

This study examined the academic achievement of 45 incarcerated youth who received an intensive, 6-week summer reading program involving 3 hours of direct instruction and whole language reading activities per day. Significant improvements on 3 of 4 reading tests were found. Overall reading abilities of participants remained low, however,…

Describes the evaluation of four different retention programs implemented at the University of Southern Maine. Data from student surveys, student test scores and grades, and program cost figures indicated that the two learning community programs were more effective than the non-learning community programs. Investment in learning communities made…

The Traverse Outreach Project (TOP) is a service learning model of counselor preparation. This article reports on the efficacy of the project to prepare school counselors using a service learning pedagogy. Results indicate that service learning was an effective method of integrating the theory and practice of school counseling. (Author)

Children of Drug Court clients are at high-risk for substance abuse and other risk factors. This paper summarizes the results of a program needs assessment, process evaluation, and outcome evaluation from the Kentucky Drug Court Strengthening Families Pilot Program. Results indicated overall positive changes for families in the program.…

A study compared 58 patients who were deaf and 168 hearing patients at a facility serving youth with psychological disturbances. All of the children who were deaf and admitted at age 12 or younger had strong or confirmed indications of sexual abuse and 85 percent of the adolescents. Residential facilities are described. (Contains references.)…

Discusses a technology-based project as a requirement for a traditional intermediate Japanese course at the University of Arkansas in which students worked in a small group to produce the university's promotional video in the target language, thus enhancing their Japanese language skills and promoting the program to the public. (Author/VWL)

Describes the creation of a series of online, Web-based classes designed to train experienced educators as school improvement specialists. Reports that the courses--produced through collaboration between the North Central Association and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln--are comprised of 36-42 adult students with two instructors. (NB)

Discusses the history of evaluation research, focusing on current emphasis on "evidence-based policy." Highlights five issues emerging as relevant: evaluation can be done in many ways, serious doubts exist about the usefulness of the term "evaluation," evaluation is held back by paradigm wars, views of evaluation are…

Describes a summer externship program in Nevada which offers educators a stipend to spend 90 hours at a summer jobsite in their home community. Discusses the many benefits to educators and to employers. Discusses the author's experience in her summer externship, and the deep influence it had in her second-grade class teaching. (SR)