This five-part report describes and evaluates an in-service instructional development course, which was conducted between December 1978 and February 1979 in a series of five modules for faculty at Florida Keys Community College (FKCC). Chapter I presents introductory material discussing the need for such a course, identifying the criteria upon…

This analysis of data from the 1999-00 Schools and Staffing Survey examined the 50 states and District of Columbia on their progress toward improving teacher quality. States were evaluated on the extent to which they assessed teachers, whether they had less out-of-field teaching, and how they prepared and developed teachers. Results indicated that…

This policy brief draws together research, ideas, and initiatives on improving teaching quality, especially materials from states in the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory's region. It is intended to help policymakers think about which policies might foster improved teacher quality and how to combine policies into an integrated strategy…

This paper reports on an interview study conducted with 80 science teachers in 12 secondary schools across Australia. The study was one component of the Science Education Professional Development Project, charged with developing a national strategy for enhancing the professional development of science teachers. Initial interviews were conducted…

At the College of the Canyons in California, the majority of faculty are adjunct instructors, many of whom have had little formal background in teaching. In an effort to support these faculty and to assure the quality of instruction, the Associate Program for Adjunct Instructors was instituted. The program emphasizes the development and evaluation…

This volume, the second of two reports on development of teacher incentive structures, presents case studies of a career ladder design and teacher evaluation experiment in four Utah school districts. Case studies examined relationships among career ladder features, process variables, and career ladder effectiveness, which is defined in terms of…

The contents of this guide, adopted for a one-year pilot study, include: standard operating procedures for the faculty development/effectiveness document (performance and evaluation contract); instructions and forms for evaluating effectiveness in teaching, administrative duties, and professional activities; and a faculty…

Approximately 105 references are cited in this annotated bibliography on improving college instruction. Books, reports, and journal articles are included, and most have been published since 1971. Topics covered include: group teaching, teaching styles, learning contracts, faculty development, student-teacher relationships, theories of instruction,…

An educator-in-residence directed a two-year professional development program to improve college teaching and student learning. The project was administered at Brescia College (Kentucky) and involved three other colleges of comparable size and mission: St. Mary-of-the Woods College and St. Meinrad College in Indiana and St. Catharine College in…

Describes a two-year, collaborative, university-school district teacher induction program in which beginning teachers' classroom performance was assessed using a behavioral observation instrument. Participants made significant gains, with first-year gains resulting from improvements in classroom organization and second-year gains related to…

Describes a model used in Santa Cruz (California) for supporting and assessing beginning teachers that moves away from traditional inservice education and staff development into ongoing teacher development. The program's emphasis on collegial partnerships, personal inquiry and reflection, and ongoing self-assessment is described in relationship to…

Texas has made good progress in education since the school reform movement began in earnest 15 years ago. State test scores are up for all groups of students in all grades in all subjects. On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Texas is close to the top in student performance in math, and has finally begun to make real progress in…

This study addressed changes in teachers' perceptions of their teaching skills after completing the portfolio requirements in the first field test for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification and their reactions to the certification requirements. Background information on the National Board, descriptions of the…

This book presents a conceptual model that supports a comprehensive program for professional development and evaluation. "The Professional Educator Development Model" is a framework that includes both a reconceptualization of teachers' roles and renewed consideration of how teachers' beliefs and desired student outcomes influence teacher…

This guide is intended as a resource for school or school district leadership teams who desire to rethink the teacher evaluation process. Three chapters address the task of designing a teacher evaluation system that encourages self-reflection and continuous improvement, as well as the personal and professional growth of experienced teachers. The…