Studies on the development of creativity have highlighted the impact of learning environments. In particular, pedagogical approaches are hypothesized to differ concerning their emphasis on individual initiative, and action-based learning. A semi-longitudinal study was conducted during two consecutive years with 210 children in elementary schools…

The Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ECRM) Technical Assistance Center's newsletter "ERCMExpress" provides comprehensive information on key issues in school emergency management. Many nontraditional schools across the United States, such as storefront schools, rural schools, and alternative education facilities, face challenges…

Meta-analysis is a method of quantitatively summarizing the results of experimental research. This article summarizes four meta-analyses published since 2003 that compare the effect of DE and traditional education (TE) on student learning. Despite limitations, synthesis of these meta-analyses establish, at the very least, equivalent learning…

While a growing body of literature documents the effectiveness of summer research programs in stimulating Black students' interest in graduate study, data are rarely disaggregated, resulting in a lack of knowledge of how subgroups of participants experience and benefit from program involvement. Moreover, given that Black students matriculating in…

Education reform often appears a zero-sum battle, one that pits crusaders demanding accountability and choice against much of the traditional education establishment, including teachers unions. The political skirmishes in Florida, including court fights over vouchers and charter schools, and ongoing struggles over a parade of different merit pay…

Computers do not replace the need for students to read good books. However, sharing a book can employ contemporary strategies, such as project-based learning, that provide an exciting balance between traditional teaching and technology tools. Heritage teachers ensure that they do not abandon aspects of traditional skill development as they embrace…

This exploratory comparison of traditional and full-service schools' climates is an initial step in determining their differences. The authors established whether selected full-service and traditional elementary schools differ on five school climate factors indicating the student and teacher body composition, the students' socioeconomic status,…

Plagued by long-term poor student outcomes, a number of reforms have been implemented within the Philadelphia School District to improve performance, including the use of charter schools. The number of charter schools in Philadelphia has risen from four to more than 60 over the past decade, and these schools now serve over 30,000 students. Debate…

This instrumental case study examines how adolescent high-intermediate Japanese language learners enrolled in a one-month credited abroad program used video as a mediational tool for (1) learning foreign language, content, and technology skills, (2) cultivating critical multiliteracies and transformative learning regarding geopolitics and the…

Private tutoring is a growing industry that is being transformed by an evolution from "shadow education" provision into "learning center" franchises. Traditional shadow educators closely follow the school curriculum, offering short-term homework help and test preparation. Learning centers develop their own curricular and…

Benjamin Franklin founded the University of Pennsylvania as a secular institution with the pragmatic aim of instilling in its students the inclination and ability to serve humankind in both the civic and mercantile realms. On this, the three hundredth anniversary of his birth (1706-2006), Franklin's ideal of a democratic, engaged university has…

There is considerable naivete regarding the similarities between progressive education and open education. Discusses these similarities and differences. (Editor/JF)

Describes the basic principles (referred to as commandments) of progressive education and traditional education. Argues for a synthesis of both education philosophies. (PKP)

America's economic productivity and competitiveness are grounded in education. The public schools and the higher education institutions alike are falling behind those of other nations. This paper recommends four policy proposals that offer substantial promise for improving American education, are achievable and have low costs. These…