This commentary examines the problem of predatory journals, low-quality open-access journals that seek to earn revenue from scholarly authors without following scholarly publishing best practices. Seeking to accept as many papers as possible, they typically do not perform a standard peer review, leading to the publication of improperly vetted…

With an eloquent, and original, comparison of the Holy Family's faith and decisions surrounding acceptance of unexpected gifts to that of families who have one or more children with disabilities, the authors of this article capture an aspect of faith rarely captured within the previous arguments presented for why Catholics must embrace their call…

The National Art Education Association (NAEA) believes there is a symbiotic relationship between a supported high-quality visual arts education program and a positive school culture and climate. The fundamental context for a school-based visual arts education program requires effective educators who are certified/licensed in visual art and…

Academic researchers who seek to publish their work are confronted daily with a barrage of e-mails from aggressive marketing campaigns that solicit them to publish their research with a specialized, often newly launched, journal. Known as predatory journals, they often promise high editorial and publishing standards, yet their exploitive business…

The following is a transcript of an interview between the Dean of the University of California (UC) Berkeley's Graduate School of Education, Prudence Carter, and UC Berkeley's outgoing Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion, Na'ilah Suad Nasir, recorded at the 2017 Graduate School of Education Research Day.

This commentary offers a brief reflection on the state of CALL in 1997, when "Language Learning & Technology" was launched with my paper entitled "CALL in the year 2000: Still in search of research paradigms?" The point of my 1997 paper was to suggest the potential value of research on second language learning for the study…

The political schooling emphasis on fixed fiscal input and improved student outcomes constitutes a significant challenge for practitioners who are held accountable for the quality of education provision. Professional learning and development (PLD) is a key policy lever for shifting practice in schools and driving philosophical change. In recent…

This paper presents a view of action research (AR) as a valuable way in which teachers can pose fertile questions and engage in inquiry with transformative possibilities. This counters claims of its being at best a sterile method of teacher research and at worst a perilous trap for teachers. Chris Higgins has argued that AR has lost its original…

The members of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) strongly advocate that all professionals must come prepared and continue to develop through ongoing professional learning opportunities the skills necessary to promote the meaningful and appropriate participation of children and youth with exceptionalities in schools and community-based…

This article attempts to address the question of how to make gifted education more equitable and productive by shifting priorities to talent development for all rather than confining itself to the "gifted." I first present an overview of political and ethical considerations in selecting a few for talent or creativity development. I then…

In this commentary I discuss how Getting to Outcomes and other empowerment strategies have potential to contribute to a theory of evaluation practice, address the epistemology of quality improvement, and inform the external validity of outcome evaluations.

Michael Kane writes in this article that he is in more or less complete agreement with Professor Koretz's characterization of the problem outlined in the paper published in this issue of "Measurement." Kane agrees that current testing practices are not adequate for test-based accountability (TBA) systems, but he writes that he is far…

The "New England Journal of Higher Education" ("NEJHE") Executive Editor John O. Harney had the chance to catch up with Lasell College President Michael Alexander about the small Newton, Massachusetts, college's plans to challenge the higher education business model. The interview is presented in this article.

We all know of great corporations that have reputations for excellence: Nordstrom department stores, Disney, Lands' End, and the Merck pharmaceutical company to name a few. Many books and articles have been written in the past 20 years about the factors that such companies have in common. The oft-named factors are (1) a focus on the customer,…

In an opening address to the university community a few years ago, Thomas Haas, President of Grand Valley State University set out three key concepts (three contemporary Rs) to guide thinking as the institution grows and develops. They all have to do with student success: relevance, rigor, and return on investment. Haas articulated that the…