This study undertook to discover why educational consultancy has not been more successful in implementing new educational programs and practices. It sought to identify differences in perceptions of superintendents, principals, consultants, and teachers with regard to teachers' need for consultant services and the factors, organizational and…

This report is intended to provide advice to Ontario school staffs, school boards, and the Ministry of Education on (1) the effects of using computers in schools, (2) criteria for selecting courseware and hardware, (3) subjects most effectively approached with computers, and (4) priorities for future courseware development. Pilot projects for the…

This paper examines the evolution over three decades of the educational development (ED) movement in Canada. An informal history of ED was constructed, using published documents about ED and personal interviews with 8 educational developers who played key roles in programs and ED centers; e-mail responses were received from ten other developers.…

Several issues have arisen from evaluations of inservice education programs in British Columbia: why evaluate and whom to survey; how can much emerge from evaluations that do not meet even the simplest cannons for effective evaluation; and how will evaluation results be used. Evaluators now need to improve their craft. (DC)

The research on effective schools has identified the superintendent's role as critical in the success of school improvement efforts. The New Brunswick school improvement program is featured as an example of a successful program. In 1980 the New Brunswick school system selected a new superintendent who faced a district with myriad problems…

This survey project of 129 randomly selected school systems in Ontario, Canada, investigates: (1) dominant patterns among secondary principals' practices and their effectiveness in the improvement of school processes and outcomes; (2) differences in practices between elementary and secondary school principals; (3) factors determining secondary…

The Alberta goverment has attempted to systematically address educational computing issues through programs of the provincial (K-12) education department (Alberta Education), which have included the development of computer literacy curricula for elementary, junior, and senior high schools; the Computer Technology Project (CTP); evaluation studies;…

Thirty teachers and 718 students in grades 4, 5, and 6 in Edmonton, Alberta participated in a study to determine the value of simultaneous one-way television and group telephone conferencing (compared to conventional instruction) for teaching LANDSAT imagery. Results indicate that: (1) a 5-hour instruction period is sufficient to train elementary…

This paper presents a definition of distance education and a rationale for it both in pragmatic, problem-solving terms and in relation to a larger view of society. The geographic, political, educational, and technological context of distance education in Canada is then discussed. Traditional correspondence courses, satellite-delivered credit and…

Presents case study of an inservice training package designed to prepare teachers to implement proposed changes. Developed for an English as a second language (ELS) program for adult francophones, this package consists of workshops and materials which view implementing change as a learning process for teachers as well as students. (Author/LRW)

This paper discusses several interrelated issues that concern four Canadian elementary school teachers who expect to be asked to introduce computer literacy into existing curriculums in the near future. Topics addressed include: (1) how teachers fit computer instruction into their existing practices; (2) status of the subject in their school; (3)…

A survey of grade 7, 8 and 9 science teachers was conducted as part of a research program to determine the consequences for teaching and learning of the recent introduction of the SciencePlus program developed by the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project and the need for further curriculum and professional development. The survey explored some of…

A survey of grade 7, 8 and 9 science teachers was conducted as part of a research program to determine the consequences for teaching and learning of the recent introduction of the SciencePlus Program developed by the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project and the need for further curriculum and professional development. The survey explored some of…

Existing knowledge of computer conferencing is synthesized to indicate how it could address some of the current professional difficulties faced by Ontario teachers with regard to computers in the classroom, and strategies and guidelines for introducing such a computer-mediated learning approach into educational activities are provided. This report…

The main purpose of this 8-month study was to determine whether significant differences in student learning and attitudes occur as a result of the use of word processors, but curriculum changes, inservice teacher requirements, obstacles to incorporating word processing into language arts programs, effective teaching strategies, and effective…