In this article the author discusses the importance of defining generic competences in alignment with the European definitions. As a case study the generic competences defined by Laurea University of Applied Sciences are compared with European definitions of generic competences. The purpose is to open up the various perspectives within this…

Too often, students enter our classrooms with insufficient knowledge of physical science. As a result, they have a difficult time understanding content in texts, lectures, and laboratory activities. This lack of background knowledge can have an impact on their ability to ask questions and wonder--both key components of inquiry. In this article,…

According to national standards for foreign language (L2) teacher education programs established by the ACTFL and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), L2 student teachers must be supervised by university faculty who are qualified L2 educators. An exploratory study was conducted to better understand the impact of…

Educational reform represents a long-term focus of Australian governments. National policy documents have emphasised quality education for all and improved teacher quality for over 30 years. The gaps in achievement among various groups of learners represent a problem for an education system seeking to achieve national quality benchmarks,…

This study examined the factors associated with childcare staff members' readiness to implement quality standards in early childhood settings in Ireland. To coincide with a new government policy that provides every three-year-old child with access to a free preschool year, a framework designed to improve the quality of early childhood care and…

The Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 brought about major changes in how accounting firms conduct audits of publicly traded companies. Corporate officials have additional responsibilities in the areas of internal controls and financial reports. In addition there is a new organization responsible for established auditing standards for publicly traded…

This guide is intended to lead candidates through the National Board Certification process and help them address some of the challenges that past candidates have identified. This guide is divided into seven sections: (1) Am I Ready? contains information on those things candidates need to know and do before they begin putting together their…

This study examined the beliefs of individuals providing the mathematics instruction to elementary students with ED in a self-contained setting as compared to general educators in the same school. The study also attempted to determine the factors that influence beliefs of the NCTM Standards. Through analyzing teachers' beliefs of the NCTM…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent that diagrammatic literacy is necessary for success on standardized science tests at the late-elementary and middle grade levels. Towards this goal, we quantified the frequency, form and function of graphical representations on select state science tests. 985 tests items from 14 states were…

A main reason for using the history of science in classroom instruction is its utility in promoting students' understanding of the nature of science (NOS). As indicated in such documents as the "National Science Education Standards," it is important to help students develop their understanding of NOS so that they will become more critical…

As they wait to see how the latest push for common national standards plays out, some states are putting off or slowing the revision of their own academic standards to avoid wasted effort and spending. At least four states--Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania--have halted revision of their standards for mathematics or English/language…

Persistent gaps between optimistic state and pessimistic national academic performance assessment results are increasingly leading to calls for unified national standards in the US. Critics argue that these gaps reveal vast differences in how proficiency is conceptualized; however, little is known about how conceptualizations compare among…

This article reports that the National standards--once the untouchable "third rail" of American education policy--now have the backing of the nation's governors, a growing number of education leaders, and the U.S. secretary of education. The National Governors Association last week adopted a policy statement endorsing a process to develop common…

The beauty of hand drums is that a child of nearly any age can grab one and get a sound. So how can classroom teachers incorporate this enjoyable activity into something that's actually educational? For young students especially, a drum circle can be liberating. Children can be given various responsibilities--as participants, circle organizers,…

Data analysis may be a way to help bridge the gap between what students learn in school and their everyday experiences and concerns and thus to enrich their school experiences. This link is important when dealing with data analysis because "data are not just numbers, they are numbers with a context... in data analysis, context provides…