The Fifth Edition of the :Handbook of Research on Teaching" is an essential resource for students and scholars dedicated to the study of teaching and learning. The volume covers a vast array of topics ranging from the history of teaching to technological and literacy issues. In each authoritative chapter, the authors summarize the state of…

This paper presents the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd's 13th annual report on the status of the teaching profession in California, focusing on the role of the principal in supporting teaching quality. More specifically, the report discusses fiscal and policy trends, the competing demands of the principalship,…

The nation is showing an unprecedented focus on increasing the rigor in education and preparing students for college. The college readiness trend is driving changes in the ways in which the nation uses student test data. Educational data are no longer limited to static data snapshots showing the status of a student performance at one point in…

This collection of nine papers was presented at a workshop on evaluation for excellence in education. "Why Evaluate?" by Madeline I. Hardy, contends that although reform is needed, evaluation must continue in order to measure educational change, bring improvement, and provide public accountability. In "Evaluation for Excellence in…

This volume is designed as a practical handbook that provides guidelines for teams of evaluators investigating a department or language program or individual teachers or language program directors seeking to better understand the content and context of their programs or courses. Although the volume focuses on postsecondary foreign language…

Innovations, Educational Testing Service (ETS's) corporate magazine, provides information on educational assessment for educators, school leaders, researchers and policymakers around the world. Each issue focuses on a particular theme in assessment. This issue explores the question, "What makes a great teacher?" Articles in this issue…

Explores a redefinition of student teaching in art education with three examples of collaboration between classroom teachers and college art educators. Finds that collaborative methods are useful in the organization of student-teacher programs but that problems arise from time constraints. (CFR)

To clarify the role of collective bargaining in defining and reforming local school district staffing policies, an analysis was made of 144 teacher contracts gathered from a stratified, random sample of districts. In five of these districts, selected for their diversity on a number of variables (state, region, size, labor history, contract, and…

The Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984 (CERA) provides the mandate and framework for the Tennessee Career Ladder Program for teachers and administrators. The development and structure of the Tennessee Career Ladder Plan for teachers, a five level program which provides for teacher certification based upon performance, is discussed in this…

This volume presents a collection of papers on teacher education reform, discussing the impact of standards and assessment on teacher education. Targeting policymakers, researchers, and teacher educators, the volume describes seven teacher education institutions that have used standards and assessment to guide their reform. Part 1, "The Role of…

A one-page introduction is followed by summaries of articles and documents on teacher competency testing. George F. Madaus argues that, although tests serve some useful functions, treating them as a major mechanism for reforming education is questionable. Peter A. Garcia examines the negative impact of testing on minority teachers and minorities…