The overall focus of this booklet is on planning for change that allows for integration of computers into articulated learning environments that will enhance the learning goal of students. The first chapter presents four major themes to increase the likelihood of combining computers and individualized instruction in schools: (1) a revitalized form…

In an attempt to correlate effective school practices with actual observed student achievement, a survey instrument concerning principal leadership and school climate was distributed to classroom teachers in the Oklahoma City Public Schools. Responses by more than half of the teachers yielded 1,294 usable questionnaires representing all 94 schools…

A study examined various characteristics of learning environments that promote or retard the development of basic skills proficiency. Data on four school programs--vocational noncooperative, vocational cooperative, general education, and college preparatory--were collected in a repeated measure design via observations, testing, and interviews. A…

Survey data from 3,698 teachers in 600 schools in Maryland are used to explore the determinants of teachers' use of parent involvement strategies. Two questions are addressed: (1) How much do elementary school teachers organize their teaching practice to facilitate parent involvement in home learning activities? and (2) Which factors in the…

This report describes and assesses the effectiveness of activities conducted by the University of Toledo (Ohio)/Springfield Local Schools Teacher Corps Project. On-site staff development activities provided to elementary, junior, and senior high schools are described: (1) two credit-bearing courses on teaching strategies for multicultural…

Nine public schools in New Jersey, eight of which are in urban areas, are separately described as samples of schools with a high level of student achievement in the basic skills, and with demographic characteristics that are similar to those of schools with serious achievement problems. Eight elementary schools and one high school are included in…

An overview is presented of research studies that reflect the realities that exist in elementary and secondary public education. Explorations of school culture cite behavioral and programmatic regularities that make up the school culture and the importance of school principals' roles. Focusing on the teachers and the ways things actually get done…

This report summarizes the findings of the Louisiana School Effectiveness study, designed to identify school level attitudes and behaviors which predict students' achievement. Principals, teachers, and students in 76 schools with third grade classrooms responded to school climate questionnaires. Data for the students also included scores on the…

This report details the methodology and findings of the Louisiana School Effectiveness study, designed to identify school level attitudes and behaviors which predict students' achievement. Principals, teachers, and students in 76 schools with third grade classrooms responded to school climate questionnaires. Data for the students also included…

The educational environment of the U.S. Air Force Academy is discussed and the Academy's basic world history program is described. The first part of the report focuses on the Academy's educational environment, discussing the core curriculum, history instruction, the cadet, and the history faculty. The report's second part, which comprises over…

The design of computer-­based learning environments has undergone a paradigm shift; moving students away from instruction that was considered to promote technical rationality grounded in objectivism, to the application of computers to create cognitive tools utilized in constructivist environments. The goal of the resulting computer-­based learning…

Developed to meet the need for a comprehensive, up-to-date instrument to measure the quality of school facilities, this guide has as its purpose the evaluation of school facilities in terms of their general condition and suitability to meet the educational program of the school system and community. Appraisal criteria are categorized according to…

The paper describes a study of deviant behavior among students attending a high school in Texas. All students in the study attended a sociology class taught by a very strict teacher whose rules of behavior conflicted with students' peer group behavior expectations. Participant observation of student behavior in class and interviews with individual…

This study addressed the question: Why do parochial school students in Rhode Island tend to perform better than public school students in relation to national norms on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS)? Data for examination of school setting and population factors were collected from interviews with teachers and administrators, a short…

This report examines the results of an exploratory research study of the social competency development among multicultural students who attended an after school program administered by the Spanish Education Development Center in Washington, D.C. Three main questions were probed: (1) What social competencies are needed by multicultural children to…