This paper reports the results of a 2-year longitudinal study of the development of primary teachers' understanding of science concepts (specifically, "force" and "energy") following inservice education, and the extent to which movement towards the scientific view was achieved and maintained. The approach to inservice education…

The overall goal of the Working Together towards Excellence in Teacher Education (WTTETE) program is to improve the quality of field-based experiences of teacher education students by improving the supervisory skills of the college and school professionals who supervise and coordinate those experiences. The program is a joint project of the Hawaii…

This study examined ways in which teachers use their own experiences and those of their colleagues to become better teachers, based on case studies of a group of eight physics teachers engaged in collaborative action research. Two perspectives on teaching that have framed other inquiries are first discussed: the teacher knowledge perspective,…

This document, section 1 of a three-part study, reports on a effort to identify Manitoba business and industrial establishments willing to receive business and vocational/industrial teachers interested in professional/technical updating. Objectives were: (1) to determine accessible areas, types of activities, and duration of updating activities…

An in-depth study was conducted of instructional improvement activities at Kansas State University, including a student evaluation instrument of teacher performance, called Instructional Development and Effectiveness Assessment (IDEA). Faculty reactions to the total evaluation system, the use of results for multiple purposes, and the current…

This study investigated differences among professional staff members' commitment to continuous learning and improvement in high-performing schools differentiated by student academic performance and disaggregated by race and socioeconomic status. A total of 48 high-performing schools were identified by Kentucky Department of Education staff based…

This book examines how a relationship between the University of Vermont and school districts throughout the state enables teachers to earn graduate credits through year-long Problem-Based School Development Institutes. The institutes take participants through a cycle that includes identifying a problem, conducting background and action research,…

This report proposes an agenda that business leaders can use to help improve education. It is the result of the 1999 National Education Summit at which business leaders, governors, and educators pledged to improve the quality of teaching with significantly increased investments in teachers and accountability for results. Recommendations were…

This book provides advice intended to empower new teachers with the tools necessary to feel prepared, confident, and comfortable and to succeed, maintain enthusiasm, and remain committed to teaching. Among the numerous strategies and survival skills it promotes are time and stress management, effective organization, quality lesson plans, and…

A study evaluated a faculty presentation skills training program for effectiveness in improving achievement and satisfaction of community college students. Nine female instructors and 352 students participated in the project. A quasi-experimental research design was used. Data from faculty and students were collected prior to and following the…

This publication presents case studies of 12 diverse Wisconsin school districts that developed and implemented comprehensive school health programs (CSHPs) using Wisconsin's Framework for Comprehensive School Health Programs. The Framework helps schools organize multiple strategies to promote positive youth development using six components:…

This book examines the current standard practice of confining teacher preparation to 4 years of coursework, examining the growing interest in career-spanning teacher education. There are 12 chapters. Section 1, "Collaboration: Building Bridges to Transform Institutional Cultures," includes: "Overview and Framework" (Linda…

This study identified facilitators of and barriers to collaboration in Professional Development Schools (PDSs). Researchers conducted a meta-ethnography, which synthesized qualitative research and attempted to analyze processes and outcomes across many studies. Case studies of the collaboration process in PDSs were collected and screened, then…

This paper examines a university professor's roles in and experiences with teacher action research to promote professional development. The first section discusses the importance of linking preservice teacher action research investigation with inservice action research teams in schools. It explains that this approach begins with a structure and…

Teacher networks used in California and Vermont are examined. Interviews, observations, and document analyses identified how teacher beliefs, teacher experience, social influences, and practical circumstances interacted with program goals and methods to shape teachers' experiences with networks, views of teaching and learning, and classroom…