Developing a blueprint for success requires that teachers, administrators, students, parents, and community members focus on the purposes for investing in technology. Planners must define universally shared technology goals, establish program accountability measures, budget for staff development, and ensure district leadership and support for…

Notes that the environment in early childhood should be educational for students and their teachers. Stresses the need for improved staff-development opportunities. These sessions should mirror the caregivers' realities in who they are and how they see the world. Suggests that a way of seeing and respecting the lives of others should be offered…

New roles and responsibilities for classroom aides necessitate updating the name of the job and professional development for these employees. This paper examines the necessary content and process of paraeducator professional development, explaining that the key to effective ongoing professional development can be assured only by developing a…

Employee-development programs can be a cost-effective way of increasing organizational learning overall. They are effective at delivering core skills. By reducing barriers to learning for lower-paid, lower-skilled workers, they enable people with less education to assume the role and identity of learners. (SK)

A literature review identified principles for supporting innovation and creativity in organizations: integrated approach, the right climate, and appropriate incentives. Staff development should focus on such skills as teamwork, communication, vision, change management, and leadership. Internet and intranet communications are beginning to be…

Responses from 302 Professional Secretaries International members indicated that two-year college degrees were minimum preparation for office occupations; four-year degrees were best for advancement; workshops and seminars were important for professional development; and 47% felt the status of office-support personnel was better than it had been a…

Summarizes recent ERIC documents and journal articles that discuss the preservice and inservice preparation of teachers in order to meet the educational needs of the 21st century. Document topics include school-to-work initiatives, educational technology, and staff development. Journal article topics include educational technology, school reform,…

An elementary school art teacher with 25 years' experience with the Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools praises her district's nationally recognized program. She attributes success to several factors: a written curriculum for grades K-6, a strategies document for implementing the curriculum, a strong staff development component, collaboration…

Examined factors affecting the success of a staff-development program in promoting long-term use of cooperative learning. Surveys of teachers who participated in a statewide cooperative-learning staff-development program indicated that three years after the training, most participants used cooperative learning some of the time. Membership on a…

Discusses the usefulness of a staff manual for high school publications. Interviews newspaper advisors and staffers/students regarding its day-to-day usefulness. Offers comments from successful advisors who find no reason to have a formal policy manual. Describes the benefits of having students create the staff manual. Includes excerpts from staff…

Discusses how to encourage creative journal keeping among campers during camping trips. Tips include keep it simple, don't present it as an assignment, the counselor should make entries, allow an open format, vary the writing time, make it a group effort, and send it home. (TD)

Hospital nurses (n=37) described their continuing education activities, identifying the use of a variety of learning resources, but overall little participation in formal continuing education on their own time and at their own expense. Many deterrents and low supervisor expectations limited the use of paid educational days. (SK)

Argues that the regular classroom, with proper teacher training, is the most appropriate educational placement for most gifted students. Problems with alternatives, especially the pull-out approach, are noted as are advantages of the regular class setting such as greater curriculum consistency, continuity, and coordination. Training and…

Describes a balanced-curriculum process created by James Comer's School Development Program that involves describing and aligning the curriculum and assessing student mastery. The SDP's first goal is to establish a supportive school culture. The balanced-curriculum process helps broaden the developmental perspective by addressing student learning.…

Discusses the role of human resource development (HRD) professionals in employee development and suggests instead that managers should be responsible for employee learning. Topics include understanding the learning process; learning partnerships; identifying and managing employee weaknesses; knowledge acquisition, management, and transfer plans;…