Education Commons^™

Professional Networks For Educational Change: An Evaluation Of The Mathematician And Education Reform Forum, Carolyn A. Haug, Scott F. Marion

Carolyn Haug

This document contains findings of a year-long evaluation of the Mathematics and Education Reform (MER) Forum, a voluntary association targeting the academic mathematics community in four-year colleges and universities. Specifically, the evaluation sought to assess the extent to which MER influenced its members' involvement in mathematics-education reform at both postsecondary and K-12 levels. Since its inception in 1988, MER has expanded from a network targeted at individuals to include a departmental network directed toward mathematics departments of research universities. Data were obtained through a survey of the entire national population of MER participants (n=730), which elicited a 32 percent response …

The Dichotomy Between The Concept Of Professionalism And The Reality Of Sexism In Teaching, Roberta Kaufman, Caron Westland, Robert Engvall

Caron Westland

Suggests that it is time to increase the professional status of teaching by demonstrating to society that the differences between teaching and more traditional professions are not about gender. There must be positive social construction that allows women access to their rightful place among all levels of organizational hierarchy.

Developing A Reflective Practice Of Professional Development, Connie Fulmer

Connie L. Fulmer

An alternative approach to the traditional methods of professional growth is the development of a "reflective practice." The learning process in reflective practice begins with the examination of an individual's own actions and contrasting the actions to the ideal or intent of the practice. The process results in behavioral changes that improve professional performance.

Enrollment Projections: Factors And Methods, Thomas Glass, Connie Fulmer

Connie L. Fulmer

Outlines the importance of enrollment projections for informed decision making in educational organizations. Discusses births, migration, and holding power as the three major factors that affect school populations. Describes in detail the cohort survival ratio technique, presents a sample calculation, and mentions alternative methods.

Factors Influencing Title Vii Bilingual Program Institutionalization, G. Lewis, L. Baca, J. Bransford, Nancy Commins

Nancy L. Commins

This study of the primary restraining and driving forces that influence Title VII bilingual education programs found the external environment, the local community, to be the main factor influencing institutionalization and self-renewal. The internal environment--the local school, and the local school's organization or central office, school board, and superintendent--are also important forces.

Parents And Public Schools: The Experiences Of Four Mexican Immigrant Families, Nancy Commins

Nancy L. Commins

Relates the results of a study of four Mexican-American immigrant families and the public school system. Describes communication problems between these families and schools and special fears and barriers that immigrants experience. Interviews found that parents were interested in their children's education but unsure how to contribute.

The Impact Of White Teachers On The Academic Achievement Of Black Students: An Exploratory Qualitative Analysis, Bruce Douglas, Chance Lewis, Adrian Douglas, Malcom Scott, Dorothy Garrison-Wade

Dorothy Garrison-Wade

In today's school systems, students of color, particularly in urban settings, represent the majority student populations (Lewis, Hancock, James, & Larke, in press). Interestingly, the educators--teachers and administrators--that comprise these settings are predominately White, and, in turn, the students of color commonly face pressures that students who do not share the racial and cultural background of the educators do not (Landsman & Lewis, 2006). This study on black student perceptions of their White teachers is grounded in Milner's (2006) theoretical assumptions, which focus on problems that White teachers commonly experience when teaching students of color, particularly African American students in …

Latino Language Minority Students In Indiana: Trends, Conditions, And Challenges. Special Report, Bradley Levinson, Katie Bucher, Lauren Harvey, Rebecca Martinez, Becky Perez, Russell Skiba, Bryn Harris, Peter Cowen, Choong-Guen Chung

Bryn Harris

This Special Report surveys existing conditions for Latino [superscript 1] language minority students in Indiana's schools and identifies the most significant problems and challenges for improving their learning. The report opens with an overview of recent demographic shifts in Indiana's K-12 student population, and makes an important distinction between Indiana's long-standing and newcomer Latino populations; the latter account for the dramatic increase in the language minority population. The report then considers the culturally competent psychological assessment of ELL students. School psychologists, especially, bear the responsibility of balancing formal with informal assessments that take into account the unique cultural characteristics of …

Engineering A Dynamic Science Learning Environment For K-12 Teachers, Patricia Hardré, Mark Nanny, Hazem Refai, Chen Ling, Janis Slater

Dr. Chen Ling

The present study follows a cohort of 17 K-12 teachers through a six-week resident learning experience in science and engineering, and on into the planning and implementation of applications for their classrooms. This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program was examined using the strategic approach of design-based research, with its fluid, adaptive management of the complexity of authentic learning "in situ" and its attentive documentation of expected and unexpected events, in process and products, to capture the richness of teachers' and mentors' experiences. Research on effective teacher professional development, adult learning, situated cognition, and learning transfer were utilized to inform …

The Impact Of An Innovative Model Of Professional Development, Vivian Johnson

Vivian Johnson

The Chicano Educational Experience: A Framework For Effective Schools In Chicano Communities, Daniel Solórzano, Ronald Solórzano

Ronald Solórzano

Explores Chicanos' educational conditions and related outcomes from elementary school through college. Examines the theoretical models used to explain Chicanos' low achievement and educational attainment. Investigates the Effective Schools and Accelerated Schools intervention models and adapts them for use with Chicano students. This research shifts primary responsibility for academic failure to schools' structure, resources, and processes.

Using Computer Databases In Student Problem Solving: A Study Of Eight Social Studies Teachers’ Classes, Lee H. Ehman, Allen D. Glenn, Vivian Johnson, Charles S. White

Vivian Johnson