The Research About Teacher Education (RATE) project is an ongoing data collection effort to establish a reliable database about institutions of higher education where teachers are prepared, and about the faculty, students, and programs at these institutions. This study on the preparation of teachers in urban settings collected data from 230…

This book explores ways that teachers can work to motivate elementary, middle, or high school students who have lost interest in learning by explaining motivation and providing suggestions for student and teacher empowerment. It opens with two case illustrations of difficult to reach students and invites the reader to offer their response. The…

The purpose of this study was to explore science teacher decision-making with students of diverse populations. The research site was a suburban middle school located in the southeast. The student body consisted of African Americans, Caucasians, and international students from 62 different countries. Extensive social contextual research was…

This collection of conference papers centers on eight major subjects: (1) different perspectives of change; (2) transitioning from high school to college; (3) academic issues; (4) enhancing support services; (5) student life issues; (6) nontraditional and underserved students; (7) career planning and placement strategies; and (8) staff development…

Strategies and programs for improving mathematics instruction should be derived from sound educational theory. The sociocultural learning theories of Vygotsky may offer guidance in developing technology-based mathematics curriculum materials consonant with the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) goals and objectives. Vygotsky's…

Scholars and proponents of computer-supported learning advocate the use of collaborative learning as an important component of Internet courses. Advocates claim that computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is an instructional strategy that can help instructors avoid the pitfalls of Internet correspondence courses that rely on information…

Trends in pedagogy and in technology are converging to make distance learning environments of the 21st century. Trends in pedagogy have encouraged the movement away from the learner as a passive recipient of information and toward a more active model of learning. Earlier generations of distance learning media and methods were ill-suited to the…

Massive social upheaval, families' failure to provide a supportive milieu, and the schools' failure to instill an appreciation of education has contributed to large numbers of black street children in South Africa. This exploratory study analyzed the problem of street children in the Durban municipal area in South Africa, providing a social…

This document reports on a study that gathered information about how colleges and universities view their effectiveness in meeting the expectations of their students. By quantifying the importance that faculty, staff, and administrators place on student expectations, the institution is able to pinpoint its strengths and to assign priorities for…

This study investigated the use of tools and design features as employed in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment and their effectiveness on seventh grade students' learning of science concepts. Specifically, the study examined: (1) the effect of the computer-supported PBL environment on the achievement of middle school students; (2) the…

The current status of education for 1991 is presented in two volumes in the form of education "indicators"--key data that measure the health of education, monitor important developments, and show trends in major aspects of education. The 30 indicators for elementary and secondary education in this volume have been grouped under the…

A study examined the nature and operation of the institutions in which exemplary vocational education programs exist. Three research questions guided the study: Are there common elements that characterize institutions as exemplary? How is the presence of these common elements reflected in educational levels and types of institutions? and What…

Within the field of early childhood education, several issues are currently being debated and many new developments are emerging. One of these trends is toward the expansion and redefinition of early childhood education to include all educational experiences for children from birth to 8 years of age. Another trend is the increased interest in…

This module for a 1-semester Total Quality Management (TQM) course for high school or community college students covers the topics of benchmarking and the continuous improvement process. It includes the following components: (1) a narrative summary of the topics; (2) a discussion of benchmarking; (3) a benchmarking exercise (the "numbered ball"…

This module for a 1-semester Total Quality Management (TQM) course for high school or community college students contains a brief overview of the definition of processes, a section on process flow diagrams, and a section on process management as well as a description of process variation. Examples are used throughout the module to make processes…