Interest in scaling promising innovations to effect systemic change in education around the world has grown over the last decade. The work of scaling education innovations (up, out, down, and into deep and lasting impact) has always required nimble attention to the unpredictability of implementation. Much has been written about the need for…

This paper is the second in a set of two on the extent to which Catholic and other faith-based schools are serving the poor well. Catholic and other faith-based schools reach millions of children who live in poverty, yet this does not necessarily mean that they are serving these children well enough. The paper considers two separate issues. First,…

The central theme of the Lagos, Nigeria, seminar/workshop was recognition for the teaching profession, particularly as being the most important educational change agent. Part 1, "Thematic Issues" includes: "Language Curriculum and Teaching in Multilingual Environments" (Sharmila Pillai); "The Situation in Nigeria" (E.…

Responds to the first paper in this journal issue that discusses using dialog about how to conduct studies and organize projects to help enhance educational quality in various settings. This article agrees with issues the paper raises that are crucial to reform efforts but highlights areas that need more detailed discussion between researchers and…

Presents a response to the article that responded to the author's original paper on dialog regarding the politics of educational research, policy, and practice, explaining that new analyses will soon be available on the research-dialog/dissemination-policy-practice cycles occurring within an educational improvement project in several developing…

Presented are nine brief case studies of some educational reforms and innovations in some African countries. The studies have in common the concern for problems related to mass education in support of development, particularly in the initial phase of lifelong or basic education. The studies include: Middle-Level Practical Education in Senegal…

Discusses three scientific traditions (positivist, interpretivist, and critical) as they inform methodological and strategic choices within a USAID-funded "Improving Educational Quality" project in Ghana, Guatemala, and Mali, examining various challenges researchers face when they engage in classroom anchored research in connection with…

In much of the developing world, research environments are in many ways the same--burdened by the same weight of colonial dependency, underfinanced, and with products undervalued and underutilized. The primary purpose of this book is to analyze such environments for the sake of assessing whether and how they might be changed to enhance national…

Shortly after Mali gained its independence in 1962, the Ministry of Education in Mali undertook a program of educational reform. Although some educational improvements were made, there are still many unmet needs. In October 1976, a new educational policy was adopted by the government. Educational needs identified include: (1) a close link between…