The three major goals for a program review are: (1) the generation of information by and for the school community on the status of the school's program; (2) the implementation of a model for improvement that includes diagnosis followed by external review followed by planning; and (3) the focusing of the school community on improvement,…

State law requires the California Postsecondary Education Commission to review and comment on the need for new degree and certificate programs proposed by the public higher education systems. This report contains three policy recommendations intended to increase the likelihood that current and proposed doctoral programs in educational leadership…

Twenty-six Saudi Arabian students underwent a two year program at San Jose State University to learn how to individualize vocational training programs in their country. Each student completed a portfolio which contained a record of his competencies and individualized instructional packages for his future use. (MER)

The California computer network for instructional development cost-effectively links over 100 campuses in an effort to help faculty and administrators in postsecondary education keep up with and prevent duplication of current state-funded programs for teaching improvement. Summarizes the network's history, funding, evaluation findings and…

Designed to assist California community college personnel in implementing 1986 regulations concerning associate degree requirements, this paper analyzes the key terms in the new policy, "college level" and "critical thinking," and discusses practical implications for assessment, curriculum, and instruction. First, the paper…

In 2002, Principal Candy McCarthy of Alisal High School took a big risk on behalf of her teachers and students. Because her school had been designated "under-performing," she received supplemental funding for school improvement purposes. McCarthy decided to use all of the additional funds to purchase collaborative planning time for…

The two-week teacher-training institute that this report documents resulted from two interests: the curriculum reform movement in California public schools and the celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. The goal of the institute was to train 45 selected elementary and high school teachers in the central documents of the…

Telecourses differ in fundamental ways from regular college courses; i.e., faculty are not the only ones involved in telecourse design and production; colleges are not the sole funding agencies for their production; and telecourses are designed to be marketed, rather than to be offered by a single institution. These differences mean that…

This study examined parent and teacher attitudes toward developmentally appropriate instructional practice compared to traditional skill-based instruction in the classroom. The study surveyed parents and teachers of kindergarten, first, and second grade students in Marin County, California. The results of the surveys showed that most parents and…

This study, based on interviews and classroom observation, evaluates what seven fifth-grade teachers in California did one autumn when a controversial new state-approved social studies textbook arrived at their doors. By tracking the teachers' daily curriculum decisions for social studies during the first few months following receipt of the…

This guidebook contains training materials to be used by California elementary and middle-level schools in conducting the Program Quality Review (PQR). The PQR process of curriculum self-review enables the school community to focus, through extensive discussion, on how the school's curriculum and instruction can be improved so that all students…

This document contains guidelines to be used by California schools in conducting the Program Quality Review (PQR). Part 1 describes the major steps in the process--preparation, the curriculum self-review process, and implementation/followup. It also outlines the role of consultants. Part 2 specifies criteria for evaluating curricula (health…

Intended as a review of the origins and present status of television courses as a form of higher education for adults, this sourcebook addresses the following questions: What is a telecourse? What are the legal and philosophical bases that support the telecourse concept? Where do telecourses fit in the college or university structure? Who produces…

As part of California's comprehensive program to improve and strengthen its schools by incorporating educational technology into the entire curriculum, funds have been provided to school districts that have developed an educational technology or computer education plan. This guide identifies planning activities and describes steps district…

For the thirtieth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…