Education is a source of national pride in Lebanon. When the general public was asked how the education system was performing, 76 percent of respondents had a positive opinion; and these satisfaction rates have been consistently high over the years. However, perception of education quality does not reflect the reality of the sector; and learning…

The first years of life lay the foundations for a child's future development and learning. Many countries have increased their financial support for provision of early childhood education and care (ECEC) over the past years. More recently, the focus of debate has been shifting from expanding access to affordable ECEC to enhancing its quality. A…

High-quality pre-K that really improves children's outcomes--that's the goal early childhood professionals will work toward with this groundbreaking text, the first volume in the NEW National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) series. Combining the most current knowledge of top researchers, policy makers, and federal and…

This monograph focuses on the research on online learning. It is oriented toward exploring the specific intricacies of learning over the Web. Some very good studies of online learning using the Web are reviewed. The chapters are: (1) "The Explosion of Distance Education"; (2) "The Significance of 'No Significance'"; (3) "Research Basics"; (4)…

This book explores what makes a school excellent. Schools are considered excellent, "good enough," or bad, depending upon multiple factors; "good enough" implies that a school could be doing better. The use and misuse of testing and educational assessment are discussed. Academic assessment based on multiple measures is recommended over high-stakes…

Since the late 1980s, education reformers in the United States have emphasized "restructuring" of schools. This book synthesizes 5 years of research conducted by the Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools (CORS). From 1990 to 1995, the center analyzed data from the following sources: (1) the School Restructuring Study (SRS), an…

Large-scale curriculum and assessment reform is neither a local peculiarity, nor a product of national political partisanship. It is a phenomenon of international dimensions. Divided into three sections and nine chapters, this book seeks to explain and interpret the nature, impact, and interrelatedness of recent important and far-reaching reforms.…

Examining over 20 years of research findings, including the most recent research on child care and child development, this book attempts to answer the three most important questions parents have about day care: Is day care harmful? Are babies damaged by the fact that their mothers work? and, Are working parents, by being absent during most of the…

This monograph reviews the emerging emphasis on learning in education and the development of the concept of "learning colleges," providing specific case studies of reform efforts at community colleges. Following introductory materials, chapters 1-6, all authored by Terry O'Banion discuss the following: Chapter 1 discusses the wave of educational…

The United Kingdom's approach to planned educational change is called school improvement. This book presents a new approach to school improvement based on the experiences of 30 British schools that are being monitored by the Improving the Quality of Education for All (IQEA) project. Following the foreword by Michael Fullan and the preface and…

Organized around the themes of quality and team building, this book contains essays by community college practitioners who address various structural or thematic aspects of the community college. The book contains these articles: (1) "A Team Approach to Institutional Quality: Toward a Model," by George A. Baker, III, and Vaughn Mamlin Upshaw; (2)…

A critical analysis is provided of the history and future of Canada's community colleges. After an introduction which traces the movement and development of Canada's community colleges and presents their societal context, a review of the origins and history of the Canadian system is presented. Chapter 1 examines the social influences on community…

This study analyzes the accreditation experience in the United States with special emphasis on the issues and decisions that surrounded the development of evaluation procedures and standards. Attention is given to the relationship between accrediting agencies and governmental agencies, the effect of accrediting requirements on the way that…

Trends and issues in research into effective teaching are examined in this report. The status of the teaching profession is discussed in the first chapter, and developments in teacher evaluation, unionization, and effective schools research are traced. In the second chapter, research findings on the effects of teaching styles and of teacher…

Based on the theory that higher education in America has been on the decline since 1953, the decadence and hopes for renewal in higher learning are examined. The following afflictions are cited as cause for the decline: (1) a purposelessness or loss of the objects of wisdom and virtue; (2) intellectual disorder: all integration and order of…