This paper considers evidence from an intervention designed to raise standards in spelling and independent writing. "The Complete Spelling Programme" (McMurray and Fleming, 1998) is designed to ensure that all processes involved in learning to spell are activated and that the interaction between them is facilitated. In addition, a number…

This brief paper is part of a larger research project which examined the historical background of teaching in the Kuwaiti educational system before and after the Gulf War in 1990 in order to propose a new perspective on teacher education in Kuwait, particularly with regard to religious education. The author is interested in whether others have a…

This paper discusses the transition from school to further and higher education in New Zealand following the recent implementation of the National Qualifications Framework. While a genuinely "seamless" interface is emerging between upper secondary schooling and further education in the context of vocational programmes, the transition…

Following national adaptations to the Bologna-declaration, accreditation is increasingly becoming the most dominant form of quality assurance of higher education in Europe. Over the last decade, national authorities have set up both institutional and programme accreditation procedures, currently accompanied by a growing number of private…

At the NAEA conference in Minneapolis, Carpenter and Sessions asked, "What are we teaching, especially about ceramics?" Art educators are often criticized for leaving out historical context when teaching studio art. In this article, the author offers guidelines, based on national and state art standards, and share the results of teaching…

This article discusses the basis for assessing and grading students in physical education. Although students should dress appropriately for physical education, be physically active during class time, and improve their fitness (e.g., mile-run time), these items are typically not included in the physical education content standards. The vast…

This paper examines the ways in which the results of the OECD Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) have influenced educational discourse in Germany. It argues that the results caused shockwaves in the educational landscape and led to a re-evaluation of other international comparisons which had presented an unfavourable picture of…

In 2003, the last state university undergraduate technology education program in Florida closed its doors due to low enrollments and a new focus on graduate studies. This closing and the continued need for 165 certified technology education teachers to fill open positions each year in Florida created a need for St Petersburg College (SPC) to…

The overall goal of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act is to have all students--100 percent--achieving at proficient levels by 2014. Between now and 2014, states, districts, and schools must take a series of specific steps toward that goal. The law requires that educators focus intensively on challenging academic standards and assessments in…

This article discusses the standards-based instruction model, Engineering byDesign[TM] (EbD), and a network of teachers called the Engineering byDesign[TM] Network. Engineering byDesign[TM] is the only standards-based national model for Grades K-12 that delivers technological literacy which was developed by the International Technology Education…

Seven panel members from universities presented their research and thinking on what makes for a quality spelling curriculum. The panel members took turns presenting their views on the spelling curriculum to an audience of approximately 500 parents and other interested persons. Panel member 1 placed major emphasis upon the teacher being able to…

This study examines the question of whether a college education meets society's expectations in today's world. Assessment programs are being used by academia to determine a college student's achievements and whether his or her performance will enable him or her to be effective in the real world. Assessment, however, is under fire by those who have…

It is not necessary for students to learn about numbers and number operations before effectively using calculators; rather that such understanding and skill follows naturally from appropriate access to technology. Students using calculators and computers demonstrate improved attitudes toward mathematics, increased confidence in their problem…

This article briefly reviews the central ideas associated with the notion of systemic reform and indicates how these ideas are manifested in the draft of the National Science Education Standards. The draft is critiqued and what the critique suggests about the viability and utility of the notion of systemic reform is considered. The discussion…

The summary information contained in this report provides teachers, school administrators, students, and the general public with an overview of the results from the June 1998 administration of the Mathematics 33 Diploma Examination by the Alberta Department of Education in Canada. This information is most helpful when used with the detailed school…