Professional growth opportunities in most schools are limited and ineffective. By enabling teachers to participate actively in their own learning, examine current instructional strategies, and determine what they must do to improve, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' assessment process and professional development can help…

Today, communication is immediate and provides increased opportunities for strengthening the interaction process that is one of the key elements of any distance education course. Distance education courses should become models for effective interaction in the teaching and learning process. (JOW)

Evaluation studies of the Child Development Project revealed unexpected findings concerning students' sense of classroom community. Teachers should systematically build relationships with students, involve them in planning and problem solving, help them learn classmates' strengths and interests, downplay competition, and involve all children in…

Reviews two federal studies that involved national searches for effective parenting and family interventions targeting pre-birth to adolescence. Results identified 3 effective program approaches, 13 principles of effectiveness, and 35 programs. Recommendations include increased dissemination research on training and technical assistance systems,…

In this prevention-early intervention project, court-adjudicated male adolescents were randomly assigned to either a program participant group, or to a control group. Results showed that the program group reported a significantly greater degree of reduction in drug use/abuse, and in the selling of drugs, but not in alcohol use, or in illegal…

Describes the difficulties faced by AmeriCorps. The laws that govern this national service program have not been updated. Although the Bush administration is expected to increase the number of participants, the long-term health and effectiveness of the program will depend on whether Congress and the administration can agree on legislation to…

Examines and critiques a recent research report, "Interventions to Reduce Unintended Pregnancies among Adolescents: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials" (DeCenso, Guyatt, Willan, & Griffith, 2002) and subsequent media coverage suggesting that adolescent sex education programs do not work. The paper describes evidence…

Describes a statement of guidelines and goals developed for Boise State University's (BSU) basic writing course. Includes an account of local conditions at BSU, a copy of the statement itself with commentary on its seven competencies, a description of how the document was developed through a collaborative process, and the effects of that…

Speech recognition was measured in four listeners with normal hearing and in eight listeners with sensorineural hearing loss under conditions that simulated hearing aid processing in a low-pass and speech-shaped background noise. Results showed an improvement in speech recognition with low-frequency gain reduction in the low-pass noise. (Author/CR)

Effective outdoor management development programs have certain features: emotional intensity, psychological safety, consequences, enhancement of self-confidence, use of metaphors, unpredictability, peak performance experiences, multiple skill/knowledge types, development of the whole person, and focus on transfer. They succeed because they sustain…

The happiness indices in a Fun Time activity were systematically increased for three of four people with profound multiple disabilities by providing their preferred stimuli. The fourth showed decreased unhappiness. However, three people with profound disabilities and minimal movement failed to show any indices of happiness or unhappiness.…

Success factors in establishing corporate-college partnerships include communicating a shared vision for success, defining the degree of customization and flexibility from a university, and mutually devising a marketing and recruitment program. The metrics for success must be defined early and managed throughout the partnership. (JOW)

Offers a view of Drama Education in Higher Education in Canada. Presents the reply in letter form. Discusses the complexity of the Canadian governmental and educational scene. (SG)

Discusses the use of both formal and informal reading assessment to help teachers tailor reading instruction to students' specific needs. Includes criteria for determining the effectiveness of reading assessment. (PKP)

The Mill City/Gates Youth Development Project operated as a youth-at-risk program in a timber-dependent community during the timber crisis of the early 1990s. Evaluations indicate the youth activities were effective. Community support structures created by the project continue to operate 5 years after the end of funding, indicating a successful…