This brief represents part 1 in a series on fostering the adoption of evidence-based practices in out-of-school time programs. The lag between discovering effective practices and using them "on the ground" can be unnecessarily long, sometimes taking 15 to 20 years! The purpose of this brief is to provide practitioners with a better understanding…

Purpose: The study is a two-stage inquiry into the influence of high school principals and department chairpersons on the nature of science and mathematics teachers' community of practice participation. Of particular interest is the extent to which formal leaders influence the formation of productive communities of practice and the extent to which…

The promotion of creativity in young children has been included in the agenda of the educational authorities in mainland China since 2001. Since then, attempts to implement this policy have appeared in different forms. The educational bureaux take measures by publishing documents and guidelines on the subject. While some kindergartens endeavour to…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show that in comparison to performance appraisal, "practice enhancement" is offered as a conceptual tool that can be used to develop strategies for reflecting on, communicating changes in and planning for excellence in teaching practice. Design/methodology/approach: The conceptual notion of…

The second of a two-volume report, this document focuses on the study of written language growth and development among 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old children. The first section of the report introduces the program of research by examining its methodological and conceptual contexts. The second section provides illustrative and alternative looks at the…

This text is intended for individuals studying or involved in college student affairs work and focuses on theory and research concerning the cognitive, affective, and behavioral development of today's college students. Part 1 examines the concept of student development in a chapter providing an historical context and a chapter on the role and uses…

Chapter two from V. V. Davydov's "Problems of Developmental Teaching" (1986) is excerpted. Analyzes Piagetian theory, finding it neglects the influence of teaching and child rearing on mental development. Builds from Lev S. Vygotsky's theories to delineate stages in personality and mental development during childhood. (CH)

That the quest for a general theory of educational administration has been a misdirection of effort and that the advancement of professionalism within this field would represent a more sensible endeavor for the production of useful knowledge is the focus of this essay. The advancement of professionalism would entail a reorientation of research…

Noting that librarians have long debated whether specific library functions may, or should, be scientifically examined, or whether they constitute an art not susceptible to scientific study, this paper reviews and critiques attempts to develop models of library material selection using the theories and methods of scientific investigation. First,…

Describes the establishment of a psychological space for any set of stimuli by determining metric distances between the stimuli with the probability that a response learned for a stimulus will generalize to the other. (Author/TW)

Examines the theoretical background for a process-based pedagogy. Denotes a sample progression for a process-based course, including a description of the phases in the writing process and an application of this description to various assignments. Includes an extended example. (JD)

Defines and describes project-based learning (activity in which students develop understanding of topic through involvement in actual problem or issue) and notes models of project work (project exercise, project component, and project orientation); dimensions; philosophical and psychological bases; and implications of project-based learning.…

Describes how linguistic analysis can change the computer from a generator of data that can be used to develop a critical analysis to a tool that provides a means to explore the processes and inputs that generate different interpretations of literary works. Illustrates this concept by analyzing a Shakespearean sonnet. (CFR)

Discusses theories of curriculum objectives ranging from mainstream social science to the view of education as an autobiographical experience. Includes initial responses to "currere" and existential and phenomenological foundations of its intellectual framework. Suggests that reconceptualism represents one of the best hopes for keeping…

Presents evidence from data on how well five first-grade classes did without any formal instruction showing that if children's numerical reasoning is strong, then formal instruction of missing addends is unnecessary. Explains the findings in light of Piaget's constructivism and discusses educational implications. (ASK)