Utilizes a phenomenographic (study of the world as it is conceptualized) qualitative study to ascertain art teachers' attitudes towards teaching art criticism. Categorizes six conceptions of teaching art criticism and includes a description and interpretation of each. Discusses the limitations of these approaches and the implications for teacher…

Describes Thinking Mathematics, a research-based approach to teaching mathematics. Value is placed on thinking and communicating mathematically and using what is known to find the unknown. The program requires teachers to rethink their beliefs and assumptions about teaching and learning mathematics. Examples of program implementation are given.…

One-third of all U.S. school children attend school in rural settings. Rural schools are much poorer than urban America, with most of the poorest counties in the United States located in rural areas. Equity is a concern not only in terms of race, class, gender, disability, and sexual orientation, but also in terms of being geographically located…

Project PREPARE (Professional Renewal and Educational Preparation through Action Research Experiences) is a multi-year, collaborative effort between public schools, a regional intermediate school district, and a university. Its purpose is to develop a collaborative site of inquiry and practice where there is an emphasis on professional…

In compliance with mandates of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Arizona Department of Education has completed its evaluation of effectiveness for state and locally administered programs in the context of Arizona's existing Chapter 2 goals. The evaluation focused first on state-administered programs and then considered locally…

A group of three conference papers, all dealing with ways to improve teacher effectiveness, is presented in this document. The first paper, "Improving Teacher Effectiveness" (Twyla Stewart), describes the efforts of the Center for Academic Interinstitutional Programs at the University of California, Los Angeles. The program focuses on…

The educational systems in Asian countries must undergo considerable change if these countries are to deal successfully with the pressures of modernization and foster sustained national development. At the crux of this change must be a reassessment and renovation of teacher education. The first priority must be self-evaluation. Three areas require…

This report recommends measures to improve elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education in Iowa while providing universal access to education. The proposal stresses unified goals throughout the state's educational system, while retaining local discretion over curriculum. Although the report emphasizes high school-to-college articulation, it…

This publication is one in a series of 12 giving the recommendations that were made for a broad and balanced education program in science for young people. Section one of this guide is concerned with science teaching in a multicultural society. Section two looks at the perceptions held by young people on the multi-cultural nature of science and…

University education departments and teacher educators are not presently providing the innovative reform-minded milieu necessary to develop vital, deeply committed social studies teachers. Education degree programs are remarkably similiar in course requirements and format, emphasizing traditional lecture oriented courses and student teaching.…

This study examined whether the Chicago Annenberg Challenge promoted improvement in schools it supported and in student achievement and other outcomes; factors that might explain improvement or lack thereof among Annenberg schools; and what could be learned from the Challenge's experiences. It highlighted the period between 1996-1997 through…

The first in a series of annual reports designed to provide new ideas for faculty at California's Los Rios Community College District, this document reviews innovative instructional techniques and presents an overview of classroom-based assessment and cooperative-collaborative learning. Following a brief introduction, the report describes (K.…

This study investigated professional development as provided through the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) model used in rural Illinois area school districts and district consortia. Surveys were distributed to TLA participants that sought their perceptions of the desirability, involvement, and feasibility of school reform in general and the…

This study evaluated a science professional development initiative developed by the Delaware State Department of Education, examining the nature of professional development activities, their effect on science classrooms, and their impact on teachers, students, and schools. The Science Van Project integrated technology and inquiry into Delaware's…

This book describes results of the work by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Section 1, "Introduction," introduces the work of the National Board and discusses educational change and teacher improvement in general. Section 2, "Standard Setting in Teaching," explains that in order to appreciate the effects…