Six National Education Association regional conferences for 1980 are described. The conferences present information for teachers on such topics as testing, mainstreaming, stress, discipline, public policy, professional development, multicultural/bilingual education, and class size. (RJG)

Describes the mental process that teachers engage in while making preactive planning decisions, and presents a general-process model of teacher planning consisting of three stages: (1) problem finding, (2) problem formulation/solution (design), and (3) implementation, evaluation, and routinization. (MP)

Promotes the use of journals, laboratory reports, and portfolios in mathematics class to improve communication between teacher and student, to monitor student progress, to make instructional decisions, and to evaluate student achievement. (MKR)

Describes the cognitive processes required to troubleshoot faults and describes an architecture based on that cognitive model for designing learning environments that engage novices in troubleshooting while supporting their construction of requisite knowledge. This model can be applied to different kinds of troubleshooting problems, enhancing the…

Highlights developments at the Center for Distance Learning at the State University of New York's Empire State College. Describes two types of instructional applications: (1) the textbook, course guide and tutor as the primary mode of instruction, with a technological tool/activity as an additional assignment; and (2) the textbook and course guide…

Argues that human services needs its professional core broadened to include a liberal curriculum. Explores the idea of the human services generalist and how many of the skills needed in human services are achieved through a liberal (general) curriculum, which emphasizes communication skills, critical thinking skills, adaptive skills, and more.…

This article presents a system for improving reading that coordinates: (1) general outcome measures; (2) evidence-based instruction; and(3) schoolwide organization to ensure the most effective instruction for each student. Implementation of the system in seven elementary schools is discussed using case studies to illustrate how these three…

Argues that the typical school psychology approach of solving problems one student at a time will not be successful in impacting the big problems of illiteracy, technological and mathematics deficiencies, writing, and problem solving. Proposes that the need to build academic competence and resilience through early intervention and prevention…

Presents a response to "School Psychology from an Instructional Perspective: Solving Big, Not Little Problems" (this issue). The author considers specific obstacles toward problem solving, particularly in a public school system that knowingly and unknowingly throws up obstacles for school psychologists. (GCP)

Presents a response to "School Psychology from an Instructional Perspective: Solving Big, Not Little Problems" (this issue). The author supports Shapiro's arguments but worries much about the barriers that would have to be overcome to enable such a paradigm shift to occur. (GCP)

Investigates sense of community at Midwestern school district's middle and high schools. Finds, for example, that regardless of school level, teachers rated "teacher to student" interactions and relationships significantly more positively than did students. Recommends schools' sense of community be enhanced by integrating opportunities for…

Describes a process model that can be used for performance technology and discusses differences between it and an instructional technology process model. Five basic steps are examined: needs assessment/analysis; design; development; implementation; and evaluation. An instructional technology/performance technology process comparison matrix is also…

Briefly describes Chinese higher education and bibliographic instruction in Chinese academic libraries. Problems with user education are identified, including the lack of instructors, adequate facilities and reference materials, and courses on user education in library schools. Suggestions for overcoming these problems are offered. (11 references)…

Examines the meaning of subject specificity, a crucial aspect of teaching and assessing critical thinking. Discusses a number of distinctions, including a distinction among domain, epistemological, and conceptual subject specificity. Outlines future research needs. (FMW)