This article discusses methodological issues in relation to models of quality assurance for higher education. It first traces the historical development of the widely adopted pragmatic model and shows how this model has been adapted by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) for the South African context. It then sets out some basic tenets…

Approximately 1,200 institutions of higher education in the United States offer a degree in early childhood education, but recent research questions the strength of the relationship between teachers having a degree and benefits to child development and learning. However, there has been little empirical focus on the "quality" of degree programs.…

The National Educational Technology Standards Project, partly funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, aims to develop technology performance standards for preK-12 students, establish specific applications of technology throughout the curriculum, provide standards for supporting technology in schools, and address student…

Presents some evidence bearing on the issue of national standards for education. Reviews evidence from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study and the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Notes some improvements even in the absence of national standards. (SLD)

The number of schools that have failed to make "adequate yearly progress" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act is proving to be a moving target, as states clean up erroneous data and grant appeals to schools that challenge the unwanted label. Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that aims to raise students academic…

The looming expiration of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has prompted a flood of commission reports, studies, and punditry. Virtually all of those analyses have assumed that the law should and will be reauthorized, disagreeing only over how it should be revised. They have accepted the law's premises without argument: that…

For students to compete in the 21st-century global economy, knowledge of and proficiency in mathematics are critical. Whether headed to college or to the workforce, today's high school graduates need solid mathematics skill. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel was created in 2006 and charged with reviewing the best available scientific…

Middle-grade students in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states trail their counterparts nationally, and increasing numbers of students are unprepared to do high-quality work in high school. In response to this situation, SREB and its member states formed a middle-grades consortium and developed a 10-point comprehensive improvement…

This article discusses the increasing number of schools that met all of their 2004 annual achievement targets under U.S. federal law. Over half the states released at least preliminary lists of the number of schools that had made adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act, based on 2003-04 test data. In general, the percentage of…

Background: In this article we address some of the challenges posed by the development of national assessment systems and discuss the need for high quality information on trends in attainment; support for school improvement processes and ways in which learning should be enhanced through valid assessment. Purpose: Key elements are explored,…

This book explains the history of the conceptual framework and discusses its elements, posing critical questions that guide teacher educators in developing and/or reassessing conceptual frameworks. The conceptual framework serves as a means for understanding the purposes, learning expectations, and quality assessments of teacher education…

Since its creation in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has implemented a national voluntary system to assess and certify teachers who meet rigorous teaching standards. Testimony from over 16,000 NBPTS certified teachers has revealed that the journey toward certification is often difficult, time-consuming, and…

This paper addresses implementation of the National Standards for Arts Education (1994) and other various education reform initiatives as a means to increase student learning. The school reform initiatives selected for review include: (1) changing the school culture; (2) changing the curriculum; (3) changing instruction; (4) changing assessment;…

This study documents the perspectives of administrators in Washington about National Board certification and the leadership of Board-certified teachers (NBCTs) in their schools and districts. The study focuses on principals' and superintendents' perspectives on the following: (1) The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the…

The leadership of the Arabian Gulf nation of Qatar, like that of many other countries, views education as the key to future economic, political, and social progress. Many have concluded that a country's ability to compete in the global economy and enable its citizens to take full advantage of technological advances relies on upgrading the quality…