A collection of 79 program ideas demonstrates creative approaches to academic programs and administrative concerns. As part of an annual event sponsored by the Ameridan Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the ideas were nominated by institutions in the 1985 competition for the G. Theodore Mitau Award for Innovation and Change…

This paper summarizes current knowledge from research on teacher effectiveness and discusses the relationship between those findings and educational policy. Few teaching strategies have been studied in different types of environments, so validated knowledge on teacher effectiveness exists for only a few issues. Research findings discussed include:…

The outcomes for the 1987-88 school year achieved by eight private alternative schools that have contracted with the Portland (Oregon) Public Schools (PPS) to provide educational services to students are reported. The schools are: (1) Albina Youth Opportunity School (AYOS); (2) AYOS-Genesis; (3) DePaul Center Youth Treatment Services; (4) Lents…

In San Diego and Imperial Counties (California) all high schools now require between 2 and 3 years of mathematics of their students. This represents almost a doubling of the minimum mathematics requirements in the last 2 years. While the requirements have been increasing, the availability of qualified secondary mathematics teachers has been…

This handbook contains 30 profiles describing school-community partnerships in Massachusetts that address diverse educational issues with creative strategies and solutions. The programs exemplify one or more of the following community education principles: use of community resources to enhance curriculum and instruction; citizen involvement in the…

This newsletter briefly discusses three topics generated from the continuing work in the field of education of the international Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). The topics are titled: (1) The Contribution of Research, Innovation and Development to Effective…

A comprehensive, interactive conference was designed to help improve the quality of external degree programs and adult education. Sixteen papers are presented as follows: (1) "Designing Self-Instructional Print Material for the Adult Learner" (Diane J. Davis); (2) "Degrees by Alternative Delivery for U.S. Soldiers and Sailors"…

Public education is facing a crisis of major proportions, but the things that are basically wrong with schools are not those being emphasized in current proposals for change. This paper identifies two basic defects in the American system of public education: (1) there is too little attention to individual differences; and (2) there is too much…

Observations of and interviews with teachers and administrators in three elementary and three secondary schools provided support for the hypothesis that the social organization of the school as a workplace affects the fruitfulness of staff development efforts and the effectiveness of the school as a whole. This report reviews the relevant…

Profiles of 14 educational programs and products are presented which focus on competency- and goal-based education. Each report contains a description of the background, goals, and methods of the program or product, as well as the address of a contact person. The programs described are: (1) Project Write, designed to improve composition skills of…

Because of the rapid changes in the world of work, education is hard-pressed to meet society's needs. If education is to meet the needs of the future, it must not merely update, but radically change its model. Because technology changes the workplace so quickly, specific vocational skills are no longer a valid product of vocational education.…

A study examined the attitudes of Florida business teachers toward perceived barriers to implementing the Florida competency-based business curriculum materials and also the characteristics of business teachers who would be most likely to receive and adopt curriculum innovations. During the study, a five-part questionnaire that contained questions…

Postsecondary education's responses to economic change are discussed, based on 22 projects supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). After identifying common themes of the FIPSE "Education and Economy Alliance" projects, new directions for postsecondary education are considered, along with policy concerns.…

To provide a framework for the design and implementation of school improvement efforts, this booklet presents summaries of research on major factors influencing student achievement--school and classroom characteristics, educational expenditures, the quantity and quality of professional staff, and social environment--and conclusions based on that…

Design-based research is proposed as a strategy to address the need for innovation in educational contexts. The article argues the case for increased and more effective research and development in education, and then presents a discussion of design-based research as a methodological set of tools to address this need. The four phases of…