Numerous documented examples are presented of how research has contributed to the development of constructive education policies and practices throughout the country. Part 1 discusses the use of research in California, South Carolina, Florida, and Connecticut. Also described are the efforts of specific organizations that are using research to…

Following a description of how the political climate in the 1960s through the 1980s influenced education, this document discusses the effects of districtwide curriculum standardization on Burr Oaks Elementary School in the midwestern village of Burr Oaks. The school's community setting, use of curriculum guides, and initial use of curriculum…

UNESCO member states discussed educational efforts undertaken to improve international understanding, peace, and respect for human rights. Chapter 1 summarizes the reports of individual countries. Although the citizens of each of the countries have their rights protected through their respective constitutions, there is some variation in the…

The productive involvement of students in curriculum development can lead to greater student interest in and satisfaction with learning. The dominant view in education today is that students are disruptive agents in the learning process, liable to interrupt teaching for their own purposes. This view results in a learning environment where the…

Because rural Alaska educators were skeptical of the applicability to their teaching situations of various educational research results, researchers randomly surveyed rural Alaskan teachers to provide background information for the Rural Effective Schools Project and for educators who want to help rural schools increase their effectiveness. Three…

The current trend toward expanded use of automation and computers in manufacturing has increased the need for a working partnership between industry and vocational education. One such partnership involves the members of the personnel development staff at Nissan Motors in Smyrna, Tennessee and local secondary and postsecondary vocational education…

China has the longest continuous civilization in the world--about 4000 years. Another reason to study China is its sheer size in both area and population. This text gives students the opportunity to explore those aspects of Chinese life which have changed in recent years. The extensive history and religion sections allow these changes to be seen…

This text introduces Fiji and other island nations located in the Pacific, the world's largest ocean. Cut off from the world by vast expanses of water, these people developed a unique culture. Contents include: Teacher Overview, Geography of the South Pacific Islands, History of the South Pacific, Fiji, Traditional Village Life, Yaquna Ceremony,…

Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation, and one of its richest. During the 1970s, oil prices fueled rapid development. With world-wide crude oil prices now fluctuating, the future of this diverse, turbulent country is uncertain. The unit contains three sections: the Text, Suggestions for the Teacher, and the Slide-Tape Script. An overview of the…

This manual invites California's educators and residents to join in planning and implementing changes that will improve elementary schooling. Chapters cover: (1) the processes of planning and implementing change; (2) quality criteria for elementary schools; (3) the program quality review process; (4) practice exercises and scenarios; (5) exercises…

The purpose of this study was to carry out the mandate of the Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1983 and 1986 which called for an analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of procedures undertaken by state education agencies, local education agencies, and intermediate educational units to improve programs of instruction for handicapped…

This collection contains the keynote address and several presentations that were delivered at a University of Minnesota conference on issues in early childhood education. Keynote speaker Rheta DeVries discussed three tasks facing the educator who is learning to be a constructivist teacher: understanding the nature of the child's mind; overcoming…

Discussion focuses on teachers' beliefs and values as they relate to working with young children. Specific attention is given to (1) whether the reported blurring of the boundaries between child-life and adult-life has affected the education of young children; (2) parental pressure to provide very young children with persistently optimal…

To assist state-level educational policy makers, information about the needs of rural adults and barriers to their participation in educational programs was studied in seven northwestern states. Telephone interviews gathered information from educational providers (approximately 6 in each state) and 47 rural adult learners from the region. In each…

A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the degree to which teacher training programs in 4-year public colleges and universities include rural education as part of their teacher education program. Questionnaires were mailed to college of education deans and chairpersons at each of the 473 4-year public colleges and universities in the…