There has been a steady growth of the K-12 student population taking courses online. This study examined reasons for students to choose a public online charter school program and their perceptions of online discussion. A survey was sent to 1,500 students newly enrolled in a statewide public online charter school program. From those who responded,…

Recent trends in education have drawn attention to students at risk of school failure and dropout in the United States. Alternative schools are one method for preventing the severe and long-lasting consequences of underachievement and dropout. Few research studies have sought the opinions and perceptions of the at-risk students who attend…

The percentage of students who graduate from high school within four years in the United States has remained between 65 and 70% since the late 1960s. Despite various educational reforms, the number of students who are at-risk of dropping out of high school has remained constant, increasing in some years and decreasing in other years. Two…

Open enrollment charter schools are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system, just like traditional public schools. Accountability is critical for charter schools because if these schools do not improve student achievement they are at risk of having their charter terminated. As of the most recent publication…

Although dropout rates in virtual school courses are typically quite high, some virtual programs have very low course dropout and failure rates and better passing rates on key criterion tests (e.g., AP tests) than do traditional school programs. Directors of five successful virtual schools agreed to share their "formulas for success" in…

This paper describes one instructor's experiences in teaching an introductory psychology course in a traditional college (Rhode Island College) setting and in the College's nontraditional Urban Educational Center. The students at the Center, which offered tuition-free enrollment classes in high school equivalency preparation, adult basic…

This paper surveys the literature on educational programmes in selected rural areas of the world. It reports present trends in organization, content and methodology. The focus is on the structure of formal education, its innovation and impact on the development of the rural areas. (SM)

The rationale underlying the emphasis of current UNESCO programs on renovation and reorientation of formal and nonformal systems of education in rural areas introduces a series of papers which emphasize the need for coordinated, long-term planning for rural development. (SM)

This study examined the efficacy of a learner-centred environment in enhancing the academic achievements and motivation of high school students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Three groups of students at high academic risk were compared. The control group consisted of students who are exposed to a remedial academic program in a…