A survey of Colorado vocational educators in spring 1989 examined perceived professional development needs and preferred delivery systems. A statewide sample of 1,043 vocational educators responded to the survey; the response rate was 31 percent. Four professional development needs in the curriculum area received the highest ratings:…

Chapters in this volume describe and analyze distinct types of programs that seek to promote knowledge, competence, and a sense of belonging for diverse youth in environments that permit children's socialization and learning. The following chapters are included: (1) "Development and Context and the Contexts of Learning" (Francisco A. Villarruel…

The practice and processes of articulated tech prep programs were examined in Spring 1991. Two major areas of focus were getting a general picture of the status of tech prep programs in the United States and learning about tech prep programs for at-risk students. A literature review focused on three areas: definition, background, and philosophy;…

At LaGuardia Community College (LCC), technology has become central to the college curriculum, and has enriched the college's cooperative and secondary education programs. In addition to employing technology to accommodate various teaching/learning styles at the college, LaGuardia provides students with as many opportunities as possible to use…

Peakview Elementary School is a new elementary school that is implementing a number of organizational and teaching strategies advocated by the school restructuring reform movement. Among those strategies is the infusion of more than 80 networked microcomputers with their related technology and software. The impact of this technology on the school…

This handbook is designed to help further education colleges in Great Britain plan for those changes that will make them more flexible and learner centered. Section 1 describes the process according to which content is organized. The Current Profile Checklist in Section 2 can be used to obtain a profile of the college's flexibility and learner…

Due to the increasing emphasis on technology and the trend toward downsizing and multiculturalism in today's workplace, graduates of technical education programs need non-technical thinking and problem solving skills to stay successfully employed. Historically, however, a dichotomy has existed between vocational and liberal education, which has…

This paper presents findings of a study that explored the link between school reform and classroom practice. Two interdisciplinary teacher teams comprised of a total of 11 teachers were studied at Cross Keys Middle School in Flourissant, Missouri, to understand how school-level reform becomes translated into classroom practice. Data were collected…

The model presented in this document focuses on an action research project known as the Academic Challenge Program (ACP). The program is designed to facilitate the collaborative, systematic development of research-based, innovative educational practice and to bridge the gap between educational theory, research, and classroom practice. General…

The introductory instructional technology course at Iowa State University is a survey course covering various technologies. In this case, the instructor chose to create a situated learning environment using low-technology everyday surroundings to teach the fundamentals of photographic and video production, linking the photography, audio, and video…

This book highlights examples of innovative educational practices in the field of organized adult learning. Fifteen chapters present outcomes of collective research in the Innovations in Nonformal and Adult Education (INNAE) project. "Common Learning--Collective Research: Innovating Adult Education" (Werner Mauch, Uta Papen) describes the…

The 10 chapters in this book provide an overview of 5 years of work by member schools and colleges in the Urban Schools Network, which provides technical assistance to schools in 31 urban areas. "Overview of the Urban Schools Network" (Lola Jackson) is a history, defining purposes, participants, and priorities. "Integrating Academic…

The papers in this monograph reflect doctoral candidates' efforts to understand and influence teacher education and the changes through which it is going. Following an introduction, papers are presented as follows: (1) "Reflective Inquiry in Teacher Education" (Lynn Zeltzer); (2) "Creating a Reflective Practitioner in the Social…

In 1989, a consortium of four community colleges in Southern California (i.e., Cerritos College, Mt. San Antonio College, Rancho Santiago College, and Rio Hondo College) received a Title III grant of $2.5 million to support the development of innovative teaching and learning programs. The specific goals of the project are to increase the academic…

This paper examines how the concepts of strategic planning, assessment, and Total Quality Management fit together and relate to one another in the field of higher education. Central to the explanation of how these topics are related is the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, a driving force behind the quality improvement movement in that country. The…