Describes the cumulative impact of rapid population growth, industrial and military activity, agriculture, and motor vehicles on California's environmental and social fabric. Discusses these problems in California as a forecast for the nation and test to consensus-based U.S. representative government. (Author/ MCO)

Describes strategies for effectively using the Internet in the classroom given low (no classroom terminal), medium (a single classroom terminal), and high levels (multiple terminals or stations per classroom) of online access. Provides basic instructions for using a Web browser for research. Includes outline chart of suggested strategies. (DSK)

The CADRE Project is a collaborative teacher induction effort between higher education and K-12 practitioners. It was designed to make a difference in the induction experience of beginning teachers. The evaluation of the CADRE project was designed to assess whether the needs of the beginning CADRE teachers were being met. In order to assess…

New teachers are unprepared for school politics and the conflicts they experience with administrators, colleagues and policies. Research and practice on mentoring often ignore organizational contexts. This article explores these under-examined contexts, asking: (1) What do mentors need to know and be able to do in relation to school and district…

This guidebook shows how schools can form partnerships with law-enforcement agencies and communities to develop a comprehensive safe-school plan. The planning guide is based on four principles: that safe schools are caring schools, are built through cooperative efforts of all stakeholders, communicate high standards, and stress prevention. This…

This document reports on teaching in culturally diverse classrooms from the perspective of mainstream classroom teachers. In-depth interviews with 36 California teachers on the challenges of diverse classrooms elicited their views of a teacher's role, descriptions of curriculum and pedagogy, and stories of the personal development that led to…

A SYMPOSIUM ON THE STATE OF RESEARCH IN INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION AND TEACHING MACHINES WAS HELD NOVEMBER 13-14, 1959, AT THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED STUDY IN THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, STANFORD, CALIFORNIA. IT INVOLVED A SMALL GROUP OF SCHOLARS, INFORMED AND EXPERIENCED IN RESEARCH ON THE NEW MEDIA, WHO DISCUSSED CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE RESEARCH…

The effect of cognitive style and learning conditions on the rote verbal learning performance of Mexican American subjects classified as field independent or field dependent was investigated. Field dependent referred to a strong perceptual influence caused by the context or background while field independent referred to an ability to overcome the…

In the late spring of 1972, the Human Relations Department of the San Francisco Unified School District held a series of five ethnic workshops designed to aid the district in the implementation of racial desegregation. The function of this paper is to develop an "itemized and categorized" analysis of one of the five workshops. This…

This report documents the extraordinary crisis facing Florida's public schools and provides evidence that Amendment 9--a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce class sizes--is a cost-effective and invaluable first step to rebuilding its troubled public schools. The report also sets the record straight about the long-term benefits of investing…

This research brief summarizes a report by Julian R. Betts, Andrew C. Zau, and Lorien A. Rice, "Determinants of Student Achievement: New Evidence from San Diego" (2003) [ED497299]. Surveys by the Public Policy Institute of California have consistently shown that Californians are concerned about the quality of K-12 public schools and that…

Focusing on the argument that early childhood education plays a crucial role in children's future success, this guide provides information to educators about development-based education that leads to active and productive learning for children ages 4 through 6. The guide provides examples for planning and organizing classroom environments,…

"Smaller is better" is often the mantra of school leaders with regard to class size, while the benefits of smaller schools are ignored. Benefits of small classes seem obvious--teachers with fewer students could devote more time to each student. Conducted in 1985-89, Tennessee's Project STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio) found that…

This 20-page issue explores the opportunity for creating 21st century learning environments that not only focus on different kinds of educational architecture but also emphasize how time is used, teacher-student relationships, collaboration, the benefits of real-world projects, and community involvement. In Minnesota, high school juniors and…

Reports two-year sociolinguistic study of English use by five immigrant children. Observational findings compare "substantial" and "minimal" English contacts by experienced children. Illustrates benefits and hindrances to English learning, and how contacts depend principally on children's English abilities. Discusses English…