The International Handbook of Teacher and School Development brings together a collection of research and evidence-based authoritative writings which focus on international teacher and school development. Drawing on research from 18 countries across 7 continents, the 40 chapters are grouped into 10 themes which represent key aspects of teacher and…

Designed to serve as an introduction to instructional development for the teacher or graduate student who has not read extensively in the field, this chapter presents an operational definition of the instructional development process; explores the human dimensions of the process; provides graphic models of instructional development; and makes…

Criticizes reports on educational reform for possessing an ideological climate in which inquiry and dissent are quieted, and vocationalism (packaged as academic courses) is rampant. The reports compromise between influence and insight and neglect fundamental problems such as inability of schools to provide students with critical abilities needed…

Uses the literature on teacher change and learning to teach, and examples from a teacher change research project, to examine how research can be used to bring about change in teaching practices. Suggests that the empirical premises derived from research, combined with a teacher's practical knowledge, can produce teacher change. (FMW)

This paper reports on the outcomes of an ongoing action research project with elementary teachers who are attempting to bring a science emphasis to their teaching and in which preservice teachers are matched with inservice teachers who are interested in improving their practice through a focus on science. The project is a modified version of a…

West Virginia's school improvement plan, emphasizing learning outcomes, mandates excellent education for all students. Following an executive summary, this paper discusses, first, the conflict between excellence and equity in educational reform, and West Virginia's intent to resolve that conflict; second, the legal foundations of the master plan,…

Reports the effectiveness of nine in-service summer institutes designed to improve geography instruction. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of the workshops and the institutes' long-term effectiveness. Finds that participants not only made substantive changes in how they taught geography, but also conducted high-level inservice programs. (CFR)

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) appointed a Task Force on Shortage/Surplus/Quality Issues in Teacher Education, which conducted a survey to: (1) assess the perception of change occurring in teacher education programs to improve the quality of graduates; (2) investigate the perception of changes in state teacher…

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…

Beginning in 1983, three educational reforms were undertaken in Pennsylvania to revise high school graduation requirements, test for remedial needs, and set higher standards for teachers and administrators. Revision of graduation requirements involved state and local education officials, professional organizations, and the state legislature. New…

The Support Teacher Program is a professional development program created to increase teachers' mathematical knowledge, improve instructional practices for conceptual understanding, and prepare teachers to conduct staff development activities in their schools with their colleagues. This paper is presented in three sections. The first section…

The papers in this compilation address excellence in vocational education from the perspectives of four educational levels--secondary, postsecondary, adult, and teacher education. The implications of the recent national study reports on education are examined for each level, and standards of excellence and recommendations for action are suggested.…

Collected here are symposium reports addressing the dissemination of theory and research to educational practitioners, specifically considering the National Diffusion Network (NDN) as an example of effective information delivery. An introductory theoretical review by C. M. Achilles of the state-of-the-art in dissemination poses questions for…