The first of two articles in this issue of Policy Briefs focuses on the potential of modern technology to transform education in terms of what is taught, how it is taught, and how the educational enterprise is managed. Judson Hixson and Debra Beauprez center their discussion around five categories of issues that have emerged from this increased…

This is a digest of a monograph that explores recent theory and research on the importance of college students' effort and involvement in promoting positive college outcomes. An opening section introduces the issue noting that institutions must work to create a climate in which all students feel welcome and able to fully participate. At the same…

This program, for grades 4 through 12, introduces students to the concepts that result in cooperative work for the survival and improvement of the quality of life of the human family. In addition to the teacher's guide presented here, the program comes with a music video recorded in seven languages, reproducible pages, a class simulation game, and…

This paper discusses the case study method of instruction and its application to the teaching of English for special purposes in university business schools. Students are given cases adapted to their level that allow them to solve business problems, such as contract negotiations, while improving their English comprehension and communication…

This paper describes a shared leadership, quality improvement team approach to classroom management in elementary school classrooms that is similar to the quality and school improvement approaches which are increasingly available to school personnel and community leaders. Contents outline a model approach to cooperative classroom management among…

This manual is written for adults working in the schools to organize student governments. It is based on the experience of the Youth Action Program (YAP) of East Harlem (New York City) in organizing and developing student leadership. The manual is divided into 10 sections. "Student Government: Leadership and Purposes" explores the…

This guide describes program elements considered essential to any successful collaboration between families and schools. Initial contents offer a brief discussion of the basic types of parent involvement and the benefits of and barriers to effective parent involvement programs. The guide then focuses on ways to insure that necessary program…

By providing definitions of key concepts, outlines of major models, and practical suggestions for classroom implementation, this pamphlet gives teachers access to current research on the interactive model of reading. The topics covered include: Vygotsky's learning theory, metacomprehension, prior knowledge, chapter mapping, cooperative learning,…

Redefinition of the student role and teaching conditions that may be necessary to create such a role are discussed. The author integrates the ideas in three papers: (1) "Understanding Intelligence: What's in It for Educators?" (Robert Sternberg and Richard Wagner); (2) "Academic Work" (Walter Doyle); and (3) "Motivating…

Four general types of literature related to school effectiveness are reviewed in this paper and the more consistent research findings synthesized. The literature types considered are case studies (descriptions of effective schools), comparative studies (comparisons of effective and ineffective schools), program evaluations (examinations of…

Guidelines for establishing and implementing residence hall unit agreements with college students are presented, based on the experience of the University of Maryland, College Park. These agreements or social contracts are drawn up by a floor/unit of residents and are put in writing to define for that unit the acceptable range of behavior in a…

The academic program review process that accounts for conceptual properties of loose coupling is analyzed, and organizational theory literature is reviewed with regard to program review and loose coupling. In addition, the academic program review process used at Ohio State University is described in detail, and the elements of loose coupling…

A detailed description is provided of the variable, constructivism versus behaviorism (CVSB), which is part of the analysis in phase I of the Evaluation of Practices in Individualized Schooling. The variable is defined; the questionnaires on which the variable is based are listed; the procedures used to scale the variable are explained; the…

This publication features articles on school climate. Among the various concerns are: 1) the complexities of the educational environment, 2) low cost school climate programs, 3) implementation of changes for effective climates, 4) the roles of principals, teachers, and students in the educational environment, and 5) test anxiety and creativity as…

The document presents guidelines to help art educators in elementary and secondary schools develop and implement art education programs. The guidelines were developed by Nebraska educators along lines suggested by the National Art Education Association. Major objectives are to help students develop personal expression, qualitative aesthetic…