This article explains principles of using a structured portfolio framework with elementary education majors in a special education survey course. Emphasis is on using portfolios to build positive attitudes toward working constructively with families of children with disabilities. Portfolio components are explained, students' opinions on portfolios…

As the continuing medical education (CME) enterprise evolved over the last half century, a variety of rules, national and state regulations, and reporting requirements developed, with a resultant substantial variation in what is required of a physician. That CME needs fundamental reform is not news to those who read the literature. Yet many of the…

The Rapid City Academy is the alternative high school program for South Dakota's Rapid City Area Schools, which has an enrollment of about 13,000 K-12 students, with five middle schools feeding two large traditional high schools and the alternative program. A high percentage of students at the academy are considered "at-risk" due to…

From a random sample of members of the 2000-2001 membership directory of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), public school administrators' acceptability ratings of three school-based programs for the prevention of adolescent suicide were examined. A total of 210 (46%) respondents examined a description of a suicide prevention…

Many commentators have argued that Canadian university continuing education has gradually abandoned its historical commitment to social justice in educational programming in favour of a market-oriented approach. Although such literature clearly expresses a deeply-felt sentiment among continuing educators, it has tended to have two problems. First,…

This study investigated Chinese students' use of language learning strategies, and then interpreted the data from cultural and educational perspectives. Using a Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, the researcher discovered some common features shared by Chinese students in their use of learning strategies. An in-depth analysis of the results…

At a clinical school in rural New South Wales (Australia), medical students follow patients through the health care system instead of being attached to doctors. Seeing the progression of illnesses, the impact of behavioral aspects, and the continuity of care develops lifelong learning skills. Because of geographic isolation, information technology…

Strategies for bringing multicultural perspectives into college courses across disciplines are described. The techniques have been proven effective with predominantly Anglo, human-services-career populations. Strategies include personalization through vicarious learning and case studies, critical thinking exercises, simulation, literary analysis,…

This paper reports research on three innovations addressing teachers' adoption of effective instructional interventions: (1) an adoption/administrative model for promoting the use of measurably superior instructional practices; (2) a computer program providing expert implementation advice to individual teachers; and (3) a schoolwide strategy for…

Experience in teaching handicapped students at Cheliabinsk State University shows that the effectiveness of the work depends on how fully the systemic approach is realized in it. In this article, the author traces the history of the development of the system from its formation. The author discusses the different systems for teaching, from using a…

The paper advances a number of suggestions for an enhanced research agenda in school health education, examining approaches to health education that work, noting new or enhanced directions that are suggested by current successes, and discussing directions for which there are few available data. (SM)

Bilingual students' language and literacy skills were compared across three classroom events (varying in degree of formality) in a special classroom for students with language learning disabilities. Results showed that certain contextual features (usually holistic-constructivist in nature) were associated with enhanced student performance, whereas…

This paper describes a curriculum provided to homeless high school students in San Francisco. The curriculum is delivered at a community-based organization already serving the homeless rather than in the schools and features spontaneous symposiums, scheduled symposiums, independent learning, private and small group instruction in basic academic…

A study evaluated 35 research projects from 1970-92 comparing problem-based learning in medical and nursing education with more traditional methods of instruction. It was found that results generally supported the superiority of the problem-based learning approach for both affective outcomes and academic performance. (Author/MSE)

Because research does not support the efficacy of any single service delivery arrangement for all mildly handicapped and at-risk students, the best approach is to maintain familiar service delivery structures while testing new ones. Direct instruction and behavioral interventions are probably the most effective classroom strategies with most of…