The paper provides an overview of issues concerned with individual student differences including disabilities. Such issues concern: philosophical dilemmas in individualization, needed changes in methods instruction, effective inservice training and individualization, and state and university partnerships. (DB)

Effective principals are actively engaged in the continuing education of their teachers and the improvement of instructional performance. Professional development programs designed to improve principal effectiveness should be comprehensive, long-term, and research-based. (IAH)

Review of the continuing professional education (CPE) needs of teachers, nurses, and radiographers in Britain identified issues involved in funding, curriculum coherence, and relevance to practice. The review concluded that CPE is underresearched and needs more emphasis on practitioner inquiry and reflective practice. (SK)

This article introduces following articles that address the concept of "communities of practice" as a particular theoretical approach to the professional development of teachers. Using this concept, articles describe programs focused on the assessment of literacy instruction, building inclusive educational environments, and vocabulary learning in…

The continued persistence of sexism and institutional gender bias in schools is well documented. The empirical research in this area has uncovered a host of negative outcomes associated with gender inequity for all children. Research suggests that schools provide an excellent forum in which issues of gender inequities may be examined and…

According to Erlandson and Bifano (1987), teacher empowerment is a vital dimension of the school's organization. Lieberman (1989) defined teacher empowerment as "empowering teachers to participate in group decisions and to have real decision-making roles in the school community" (p. 24). Furthermore, Summers (2006) addressed the need for…

Adult basic education is critical to the future of the state of Mississippi. However, the state contributes only 8.5 percent of funding for adult education (the remaining 91.5 percent comes from federal sources) to serve less than 2.3 percent of the eligible population. Furthermore, Mississippi loses up to one-third of its potential high school…

Computers are so inherently necessary in this day that lack of computer skills is analogous to the absence of such basic knowledge as reading and mathematics. Computer training for classroom teachers is not only a good idea, it is vital to their success in the classroom and to their students' success in life after they finish school. Computer…

This critical review examines 18 books available to the general public about learning disabilities (LD) and offers guidelines for use of these books by professionals. Books are grouped into three categories: those written from the perspective of parents and individuals with learning disabilities, those written from an LD professional's…

Issues related to the uses of computers in instruction are discussed in eight brief essays. "The Word Processor in the Curriculum Today" looks at the implications of changing societal situations for selection of objectives, learning activities, and appraisal procedures that will reflect actual utilization of word processors. Programmed…

This document reports on a workshop concerned with the inservice training of educational personnel. The workshop's main objectives included: (1) review of policies and plans for the development of primary education; (2) identification of alternative objectives, issues, and growth points; (3) development of training strategies for the…

This paper considers the growing trend of collaboration among school districts, addressing the national trend in general and examining the perspective of and the trends in Mississippi in particular. The trend in Mississippi is a natural outgrowth of the reform movement in the state and will probably continue on both a formal and an informal basis…

This report presents a summary of the findings and recommendations of a review conducted by the Research Committee of the Kentucky Association for Communications and Technology to investigate the status of teacher preparation in the area of educational media and technology in the state of Kentucky. It was found that there are three different…

The monograph addresses issues in needs assessment for the inservice education of teachers of handicapped children. Chapter 1, "Self Diagnosis Regarding Needs Assessment" (M. Walker), emphasizes the importance of local personnel involvement and provides a checklist for readers to assess their knowledge on the context, methodology, and application.…

One of the priorities of the 70's will be the preeminence of professional development for teachers already in the field. Both fiscal realities and personnel practices demand that the focus of teacher training be on inservice education. This paper considers the vital question of governance of the inservice enterprise, looking at position papers…