In the second half of this decade, society will likely move toward a creative synthesis between the unbridled progressivism of the 1960's and the reactionary conservatism of the early 1970's. In Canadian secondary education, this movement will result in redistribution of power, alterations in the nature of education, and increased insecurity of…

Argues that schools do not adequately prepare students for the rapidly changing requirements of the American workplace. Proposes an Action Plan on Education for Economic Growth, and discusses its feasibility. Outlines basic skills and competencies for productive employment. (KH)

Describes initiatives being taken in 27 states in support of recommendations made by the National Commission on Excellence and the Task Force on Education for Economic Growth. Focuses particularly on teacher rewards, career ladders, and cooperation between schools and business. (KH)

Discusses the meaning of teacher excellence and offers some reasons why excellent teachers are in short supply. Suggests steps to improve teacher quality and performance. (RBW)

The background of teaching science in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea is described in order to familiarize readers with the situation at Goroka Teachers' College (GTC) in the early 1980s where it was necessary to attempt to increase educational standards in science. Goroka Teachers' College was the main source of science teachers for…

This comprehensive set of materials is designed to facilitate the development of skills and knowledge needed to be a successful learner and a successful teacher. The materials include: two videotapes, each featuring four 15-minute programs; viewer guides for each program segment which contain a summary of the program, goals, expected outcomes, key…

The management theories of W. Edwards Deming are known as Total Quality Management (TQM) and advocate building quality into organizational processes rather than analyzing outcomes. Although TQM was originally developed for the workplace, educational reformers have been applying its principles to higher education. The original 14 points of Deming's…

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…

This study examined the effectiveness of Reflections: A Systemic Change Model, a staff development model based on the concepts of systemic change, constructivism, and paradigm shift. A pilot study was conducted to determine whether the model was realistic, feasible, and effective. It occurred during 1998 in a 6-week summer school supervision…

School districts strongly influence the strategic choices that schools make to improve teaching and learning. Districts act as gatekeepers for federal and state policy by translating, interpreting, supporting, or blocking actions on their schools' behalf. The efforts of districts to build the capacity of students, teachers, and schools are often…

This book examines the effects of reforms in some countries' national education systems, noting that far from improving education, they have often made it more difficult for teachers to do a good job in the classroom. It focuses on how teaching has changed and continues to change in England's educational reform climate. The book argues that many…

Comprehensive school reform focuses on making coherent schoolwide improvements that affect virtually all aspects of a school's operation, rather than using a piecemeal, fragmented approach to reform. The Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program aims to raise student achievement by helping public schools across the country implement…

This paper focuses on the ongoing development of an inservice teacher education program for teachers in Albania following the downfall in the early 1990s of a repressive totalitarian regime. The Kualida project's name is an acronym based on the Albanian words for training, distance, and teachers and is very close in sound to the Albanian…

This study looks at the interview responses of teachers and administrators in five secondary schools in Ontario (Canada) to government-initiated accountability strategies. Several questions were posed: (1) What were the perceived effects of these strategies? (2) What motives did teachers and administrators ascribe to the government for introducing…

A case is made for the development and support of inservice teacher education in England and Wales. Declining enrollments indicate that the teaching force will remain stable in coming years, so that special needs in subject and skill areas will remain unmet. Government initiatives support inservice education, but resources are lacking. (Author/PP)