The publication in 1906 of Alexander Smith's "Introduction to general inorganic chemistry" inaugurated a decisive change in chemical pedagogy in the US, the effects of which are still evident. The nature and extent of Smith's innovations are described through a comparison of his text to its source material and contemporaries. His…

In the first decade of the 21st century, the nation, the states, and colleges and universities began to grapple with the challenges of globalization, changing demography, the implications of the digital era, and of a less expansive public sector. Although not a transformative period for higher education, the decade saw significant innovations in…

A census of secondary schools in Illinois as well as in the nation has revealed that less than 25% of the students are enrolled in foreign language classes. While most secondary schools in Illinois offer some foreign language instruction, there are small rural schools that are unable to offer a solid program. The French Language Intensive Program…

A pilot study (first phase of a 2-year study) was conducted to identify individual teachers who had begun integrating academic and vocational education before the development of state or national integration initiatives such as tech prep. The teachers were identified through a procedure involving nominations of exemplary vocational education…

The Quality Assistance Plan (QAP) for Vocational Education in Illinois is a state-funded program for locally initiated, developed, implemented, and evaluated projects that was begun in Fiscal Year 1982. Its purpose is to build the capacity, in each educational setting, for the improvement of vocational education programs. That improvement should…

A study was designed to identify cases of the successful implementation of technology in New York and Illinois; to document the strategies, processes, and procedures used in the successful implementation of statewide technology education programs; and to develop guidelines for the implementation of statewide technology education programs. Data…

This booklet contains 25 abstracts of research and development projects funded in the fiscal year of 1971 for the Research and Development Unit of Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education. Intended to make educators and the general public aware of research and developmental activities in vocational education in Illinois, these…

In 1984, the State Board of Education, Department of Adult, Vocational, and Technical Education (DAVTE), contracted with an outside evaluator to assess the impact of the Illinois Quality Assistance Plan (QAP). (The QAP is a state-funded program for locally initiated, developed, implemented, and evaluated projects that was begun in Fiscal Year…

This project presented a conceptual model for adapting with change and the strategies and procedures for introducing change skills instruction into vocational programs to groups of vocational educators and administrators at sites throughout Illinois. Following the presentations, the project directors solicited feedback from the persons who…

Along with 23 other units in various states, the Illinois Research Coordinating Unit (IRCU) has, since its inception, been committed to bringing about innovations in education. This document presents a summarization of the activities and progress of the unit during the 1972 fiscal year as well as the planned research endeavors for 1973. The unit…

This document contains reports summarizing the highlights of seven state forums that were held in fall 1994, modeled after the 1993 national forum on "Hard Truths/Tough Choices: An Agenda for State and Local Reform." The following conferences are summarized: "Reinventing New Jersey: Innovative Approaches under Fiscal Pressure"…

As part of Project IMPACT's efforts to identify and develop procedures for complying with the impact requirements of Public Law 94-482, a case study was made of two Illinois communities and the vocational education programs in those communities. The study examined the relationship between the "good" vocational education programs in…

This resource book is one of a series of three information resources containing ideas about instructional technology applications and how certain technology applications may have particular relevance to vocational education. It is designed to help vocational educators make decisions about which technologies to use in their instructional settings.…

An application of evaluation methodology to innovative educational programs through a case study of a Chicago suburban high school program for alternative education is presented. The evaluation methodology encompasses the difficulty in combining comparative programs, individual-diagnostic, and individual developmental measures, the selection of…

This resource book is one of a series of three information resources containing ideas about instructional technology applications and how certain technology applications may have particular relevance to vocational education. It contains descriptions of some instructional technology systems applications that are currently in use. The cases focus…