The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Family Engagement." Contents include: (1) Solving the Digital Divide Requires…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Opportunity." Contents include: (1) Students Deserve to Read Diverse Books --…

The Center on Standards, Alignment, Instruction, and Learning (C-SAIL), examines how college- and career-readiness (CCR) standards are implemented, if they improve student learning, and what instructional tools measure and support their implementation. This brief presents findings from C-SAIL's Implementation Study, which uses interview and survey…

Especially since the implementation of T-TESS, it has become imperative for Texas English teachers to examine ways to incorporate student-centered instruction and activities in all areas, including the writing process. This article provides techniques and examples for English teachers who desire to work smarter and more responsively to meet the…

Teaching scientific writing in biology classes is challenging for both teachers and students. This article offers and reviews several useful 'toolkit' items that instructors of science writing can use to improve college student success. The tools in this kit are both conceptual and practical, and include: (1) Understanding the role of student…

The idea of building sand castles evokes images of lazy summer days at the beach, listening to waves crash, enjoying salty breezes, and just unplugging for a while to let our inner child explore the wonderful natural toys beneath our feet. The idea of exploring caves might evoke feelings and images of claustrophobia or pioneers and Native…

"Building Institutional Capacity for Data-Informed Decision Making" is the third installment of the Cutting Edge series, which aims to help colleges engage faculty, scale successful interventions, and create a strong culture of evidence through use of data to strengthen their institutional change and student success efforts. Though the…

This study identified faculty actions which positively influenced student satisfaction in the online classroom at the community college level. The escalating demand for Internet-based, distance education courses has been met by an increased inventory of them. However, while online education has been in existence for over a decade, standardized…

Mentor teachers want their student teachers to be prepared with quality instruction so that students can achieve their maximum potential. The knowledge and experience that the student teachers gain with the mentor teachers in their classrooms is invaluable. As supervisors of student teachers, mentor teachers follow an evaluation form which has…

Secondary teachers participating in summer professional development chemistry workshops in Texas used an online chemistry tutoring program, OWL Quick Prep (Day et al. in OWL: Online Web-based Learning, Brooks-Cole Cengage Learning, Florence, KY, 1997) as a part of the inservice training. Self-reported demographic data were used to identify factors…

This guide is based on findings of a year-long study undertaken by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to evaluate Institute-sponsored programs for youth aged 9-19 between 1998 and 2003, and discussion with the IMLS Youth Action Committee and practitioners about the kind of information needed for planning and implementing effective…

A review of the literature suggests that student evaluations, contrary to popular belief, can be valid sources of data about teaching performance when care is taken in the planning and administration of the evaluation procedure. This study sought to determine if a difference is made in the assessment of teacher competence when student evaluation…

This teacher orientation manual has been developed as a comprehensive resource for teachers in Texas to facilitate a greater knowledge and understanding of the Texas Teacher Appraisal System (TTAS), designed as a developmental tool for the improvement of instruction, and the encouragement of professional growth. Through this system, teachers…

The Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) is an appraisal system for Texas teachers that was implemented in 1995. The Continuous Improvement Instructional Planning Process is a systematic approach that teachers and administrators may use to align student performance with objectives related to the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills,…

This paper will include critical information for administrators and faculty in higher education for developing an assessment model for an online degree program. Determining the assessment process for the program before offering courses will ensure a smooth transition into the online environment so that faculty and administrators will know that the…