Despite the abundance of karst terrains and a universal lack of knowledge about the role they play in supplying freshwater resources, informal environmental education through guided show cave tours is poorly understood. This study evaluated techniques for educating cave guides on how to disseminate information about human-karst interactions to…

This research describes a professional book study experience and offers insight into its use in supporting professional development. Framed in situated learning theory, this qualitative case study examined the perceptions of 12 educators who voluntarily participated in multiple professional book studies over 4 years. Two major themes were found in…

Over a decade ago, Bredekamp asserted (1996) that the field of early childhood education lacked a research base to document the effectiveness of approaches to producing highly skilled and effective early educators. The National Center for Research in Early Childhood Education's (NCRECE) Course and MyTeachingPartner (MTP) Coaching were developed to…

During the spring and summer of 2012, the Tennessee Department of Education trained about 200 Common Core Coaches who then went on to facilitate summer trainings for thousands of the state's third through eighth grade math teachers. The following summer, the training sessions reached nearly 30,000 teachers across the state, covering math, English…

In the current study characteristics of the teacher and classroom that influence teacher responsiveness to the course or consultancy are explored. If classroom quality or characteristics of teachers, such as anxiety levels or efficacy in teaching prior to intervention participation are predictive of responsiveness, then future programs will be…

This study looks deeply inside 17 schools that stand at the vanguard of the current revolution in teaching. This new National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL) report reveals the substantive ways in which these schools are providing their teachers with more time to reflect on, develop, and hone their craft, by very explicitly leveraging an…

The objective of the project was to pilot test the Model to Evaluate Inservice Personnel Development. The pilot test was designed to determine: (1) whether the model could evaluate the personnel development programs in the two States where the model was pilot tested, (2) applicability of the model in other States, and (3) the potential of the…

With the objectives of assisting state educators in designing school leadership programs, school administrators in Tennessee were surveyed to determine levels of training and perceived training needs. Questionnaires were administered in 1986 to school board members, principals, and superintendents. Part 1 of the questionnaire dealt with…

The Continuing Professional Education Inventory (CPEI) was field-tested with a group of 348 teachers throughout Tennessee who attended summer educational conferences at four different locations. The survey included 35 statements regarding barriers to continuing professional education which respondents rated on a Likert scale. Fifteen demographic…

In 1996, Tennessee became the first state to connect every public school to the Internet via a single network, ConnecTEN. This case study examines the staff development opportunities made available to teachers for training in the use of computer-based technology, focusing on teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the training and their…

This report presents the results of a study conducted with 449 Tennessee educators that investigated the use of educational technology in the state's classrooms. The Tennessee Education Association, as part of its Tennessee Teachers' Technology Initiative, funded in part by a grant from BellSouth, collaborated with the Appalachia Educational…

Examines second and third grade data from Project STAR, a reduced class size study. Observers viewed teachers, some of whom received inservice training on effective teaching and class type. Observers' narratives and ratings of class activities and interaction indicated little change in teaching practices regardless of class type or training. (SM)

This document provides the final summary report of Tennessee's primary school class size study, called Project STAR. Sections of the report concern: (1) background; (2) organization to conduct the study; (3) sample selection; (4) data collection plan and data base; (5) general operating guidelines; (6) teacher orientation; (7) study design; (8)…

A study was conducted to identify areas of teacher and program needs in the state of Tennessee in order to plan for the future. Five secondary school systems were selected from each of the seven developmental districts in the state, for a total sample of 35 representative systems. From these 35 systems, 419 (of 587) vocational personnel completed…

A survey of 62 early childhood educators in North Carolina and Tennessee found that respondents had frequent and significant concerns about their knowledge and utilization of assistive technology. Training areas were identified that address the concerns and barriers regarding assistive technology. Implications for preservice and inservice training…