This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Louann A. Bierlein, Richard I. Ferrin, Cheri Robison, Gerry McBroom, Lori A. Mulholland, David Swenson, Austin Southwest Educational Development Lab., Washington Congress of the U.S., Wayne Holm, and Inc. National Alliance of Business.
(1995). Gender Comparison of Teachers' Sense of Efficacy. This study compared male and female university teachers' sense of teaching efficacy and their belief in their ability to effect student change. A total of 30 university teachers (15 men and 15 women) from Eastern New Mexico University completed a self-efficacy quiz. The participants' mean years of total teaching were 12.2. One-way analysis of variance showed no significant differences between male and female university teachers in the three factors of teacher's sense of teaching efficacy, high personal teaching efficacy, and low personal teaching efficacy. However, results provided some evidence that teachers' belief in their ability to effect student change when considering external factors is slightly weaker in male than female teachers. Furthermore, the results indicated that the male university teachers believed their ability to effect student change is limited by external factors such as family background and student characteristics. An appendix contains a copy of the self-efficacy quiz and one table of data. Contains seven references. [More] Descriptors: Beliefs, Change Agents, College Faculty, College Instruction
(1994). Charter Schools: Experiments in Reform. By March 1994, eight states had adopted charter-school legislation. This report defines the charter-school concept and describes its advantages and disadvantages. Proponents argue that charter schools offer flexibility, decentralized decision making, a performance accountability, and school choice, and increased pressure for change. Opponents charge that charter schools are expensive and that they may reduce teacher salaries and disrupt existing desegregation plans. The report describes the charter-school experiences of eight states and one community–Minnesota, California, Colorado, Georgia Massachusetts, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Baltimore, Maryland. Data were gathered through interviews with one state-level policymaker or education department official from each state. To date, there are no empirical data describing the effects of charter schools on student achievement. The report describes Texas' provisions that incorporate aspects of charter-school philosophy and advocates charter schools for the Texas education system. Considerations to be worked out before attempting to develop charter schools are identified. One chart summarizes the status of implementation of charter-school legislation in the eight states. (Contains 15 references.) [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Accountability, Charter Schools, Decentralization
(1978). A Look at Lifelong Learning. Adults must continue to learn. The accelerating pace of cultural change has made today's knowledge and skills tomorrow's obsolescence. A society that makes its educational investment almost entirely in children and youth is on the way to becoming obsolete and is reducing its survival chances. To promote the cause of lifelong learning, we need to ban together to form a regional lifelong learning association. Much remains to be accomplished; for instance, in our region–Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas–53.3% of the population does not have a high school diploma. Yet an ordinary person has to read many things at the high school level. In 1958 Burton Clark wrote that the constitutional status of adult education (1) is permissive rather than mandatory, (2) is a part-time occupation, (3) does not have separate plant facilities and fixed capital, (4) "catches the eye" first from economy-minded groups, (5) has to be sold to other educators and the public as a necessity, and (6) depends on state and federal aid. We have made some progress, but financial stress in cities and states is having a negative effect on the status of adult education. In advocating adult education programs, power will come from organization. Descriptors: Adult Education, Adult Programs, Educational Improvement, Educational Needs
(1969). Indian Education. Part 1, Hearings Before the Special Subcommittee on Indian Education of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, United States Senate, Ninetieth Congress, First and Second Sessions on the Study of the Education of Indian Children. Hearings of the Special Subcommittee on Indian Education–held on Dec. 14-15, 1967, in Washington, D.C., and on Jan. 4, 1968, in San Francisco, Calif.–are recorded in this document. As noted, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and 5 other senators served as members of the subcommittee, which was designed to conduct the hearings and the field investigations of school districts across the nation having substantial American Indian populations in an attempt to make a complete study of all matters pertaining to the education and related problems of Indian children in Federal and public schools. Presented in 3 parts (Part 2 is RC 003 557; Part 3 is RC 003 558), proceedings of the hearings record the subcommittee's interviews relating to American Indian education. Part 1 of the hearings presents statements by people involved with Indian education and assistance programs in such states as Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, New York, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Washington. Part 1 also contains a collection of overviews of various publications on the American Indian. [More] Descriptors: Achievement, American Indians, Attitudes, Curriculum
(1995). Assessing Student Academic Achievement: One Institution's Experience. In preparation for an accreditation visit, New Mexico State University at Carlsbad (NMSU-C) developed plans and strategies for measuring student academic achievement. One of the first tasks completed was the development of a standardized syllabus format. The format includes course information, such as the title, number, name of instructor, available office hours, and required textbooks and supplies; a list of topics instructors will present; a list of objectives that students will accomplish; and techniques that will be used to measure students' progress. To make syllabi more uniform, NMSU-C then developed the following generalized student outcomes: (1) effective communication; (2) problem solving; (3) critical/creative thinking skills; (4) awareness of diverse cultures; (5) awareness of the sciences; (6) collaborative working skills; (7) computational skills; (8) effective and responsible interaction in society; and (9) computer and information literacy. For each of the areas, faculty developed a list of competencies that would indicate the student had acquired these skills. Faculty then compiled a list of measures they use to assess the outcomes. Finally, a series of tables were developed to show what courses satisfied the target skills for a specific degree program, and whether the classes taught, emphasized, or reinforced the outcomes. The tables are useful to demonstrate that each associate degree at NMSU-C satisfies the specified skills. (A sample table for core and degree classes is included.) [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Basic Skills, College Outcomes Assessment, College Planning
(1996). Regulatory Organizations and Their Requirements. MAS-113. Waste Isolation Division (WID). Management and Supervisor Training (MAST) Program. This learning module, which is part of a management and supervisor training program for managers and supervisors employed at the Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Division, is designed to enable trainees to identify regulatory organizations and oversight groups and monitor and provide guidance in the implementation of the requirements of applicable codes, orders, and standards. The first section is an overview of the module. The next nine sections describe the origin, structure, function, and regulatory documents of the following regulatory agencies and oversight groups/advisory committees: Department of Energy; Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Transportation; Nuclear Regulatory Commission; New Mexico Environment Department; Mine Safety and Health Administration; Environmental Evaluation Group; and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Each section also includes enabling objectives and an employee-manager scenario that is designed to illustrate effective management practices and practices to avoid when dealing with a regulatory agency or oversight body. Concluding the module are a list of actions that can be taken to make a section/plant more effective, 20-item reference list, practice test, and test answers. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Advisory Committees, Agency Cooperation, Agency Role
(1971). Student Budgets and Aid Awarded in Southwestern Colleges. Higher Education Surveys. This survey examines student budgets, distribution of student aid, and the relationship between budgets and aid awarded. Information was also obtained on student characteristics in terms of residence, family income, and marital status; and on reactions to the Nixon administration's financial aid proposals. The results were based on responses from financial aid officers at 81 percent of the 190 colleges in 4 Southwestern states: Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Some of the principal findings were: (1) average student cash expenses for 1970-71 were $2,900 for a private college; $1,900 for a public 4-year college; and $1,600 for a public 2-year college; (2) average aid awarded was $475 to private college students; $184 to public 4-year college students; and $117 to public 2-year college students; and (3) the proportion of total student expenses met by aid awarded was 16 percent in private colleges; 10 percent in public 4-year colleges; and 7 percent in public 2-year colleges. [More] Descriptors: Budgets, College Students, Educational Finance, Expenditures
(1993). Country Stars: Promising Practices for Rural At-Risk Students. This directory describes programs for serving at-risk students in rural small schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Section 1 lists 72 programs by state, including 8 programs that were added to the directory in 1995. Each entry includes target population; a brief description of program features; the school/community context; program costs, sources of funding, and other implementation specifics; and contact information. Interventions target various populations, including pregnant teenagers, students with disciplinary problems, low-achieving students, young children, parents, dropouts, economically disadvantaged youth, academically gifted students, and rural students. Section 2 lists organizations and other resources associated with rural small school improvement, including national and regional centers, consortia, councils, information clearinghouses, and technology-related networks. Also included are listings of rural journals and periodicals and state-specific organizations that focus on rural issues and education. Section 3 contains definitions used to identify at-risk and dropout students in the five states. The most commonly cited definition of a dropout is a student who leaves school for any reason, except death or transfer to another school, without graduating or completing a program of studies. Criteria for identifying at-risk students include student characteristics, school factors, and attitude and performance indicators. [More] Descriptors: Dropout Prevention, Dropout Programs, Early Childhood Education, Educational Practices
(1996). Strategies That Address the Disproportionate Number of Students from Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups Receiving Special Education Services: Case Studies of Selected States and School Districts. Final Report. This final report describes strategies identified from interviews with educators in eight school districts in three states (Arkansas, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania) concerning the disproportionate number of students from racial/ethnic minority groups receiving special education services. The first section describes the methodology of the case study examination. Sections 2 and 3 present the three state case studies and the eight school district reports, followed by a section summarizing challenges faced by school districts when addressing disproportionality. The fifth section summarizes recurring themes across states and districts. These include: (1) the importance of having a school staff trained to work with racially/ethnically diverse students; (2) the need for on-going professional development in such areas as positive classroom management, identifying learning strengths, effective instructional practices for diverse learners, and nonbiased assessment; (3) the need for general and special educators to work together; (4) the importance of encouraging parent/family input at all educational levels; (5) the need for special education data to be disaggregated by race/ethnic group; and (6) the importance of school districts monitoring referral and evaluation/assessment processes and exploring ways to address disproportionality. Appended are ratings of state level initiatives, data collection guidelines, and plans from three of the school districts. [More] Descriptors: Case Studies, Change Strategies, Disabilities, Disability Identification
(1996). Liberal Arts vs. Vocational Education: An Olympian Balancing Act. Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute, in New Mexico, implemented a project to enable liberal arts and vocational education faculty to share information and develop materials to help create a more cohesive curriculum for students. The project lasted two terms and sought specifically to enhance general education curricula with examples from vocational courses and the workplace; enhance career education with examples from the Arts and Science (A&S) curricula; increase communication among departmental faculty, employers, and advisory boards; and improve vocational students' attitudes towards required courses by illustrating career applications of educational content. Accomplishments of the project include the development and revision of course and instructional materials, the development of sample packets and lectures from employers and different professions, and increased communication between departments. Problems encountered in implementing the program include the absence of adequate evaluation methods, the need for team leader training, a lack of secretarial support, and the absence of an optional second year to allow departmental teams to continue. Participants highlighted the following as positive elements that should be replicated in future projects: (1) the team structure and the existence of lead A&S faculty; (2) bimonthly team leader meetings; (3) the ability of faculty to choose projects; (4) clearly stated expected results; (5) course release and hourly pay; and (6) positive attitudes and communication. Descriptors: Community Colleges, Cooperative Planning, Cooperative Programs, Curriculum Development
(1995). Creating a Literate Future. A National Forum on Strengthening Policies and Partnerships for Adult Education and Training for Native Americans/Alaska Natives (St. Paul, Minnesota, October 12-14, 1995). This document contains information from the national forum Creating a Literate Future for the Year 2000, which was held to help state team delegations develop vision/mission statements and action plans citing goals, objectives, and activities for enhancing adult literacy and education for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Presented first are introductory discussions of the forum's objectives and activities. The conference keynote address, "Creating a Literature Future for the Year 2000" (Augusta S. Kappner), is included. Team vision/mission statements and action plans are included for each of the following states/tribes/nations: Alaska, Hawaii, and Northern Mariana Islands; Arizona; California; Colorado; Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and North Carolina; Idaho; Illinois; Kansas; Michigan; Minnesota; Montana; Navajo Nation; Nevada; New Mexico; North Dakota; Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation; Oregon; Texas; Utah; Washington, Wisconsin; and Wyoming. Exemplary adult education and literacy demonstration programs in California, Colorado, Arizona, and Minnesota are profiled. Appendixes constituting approximately 60% of this document contain the following: 1990 census data regarding the educational attainment and school enrollment and labor force status of American Indians/Alaska Natives; conference agenda; presenter/moderator and participants list; and tally of responses to conference evaluation forms. [More] Descriptors: Adult Basic Education, Adult Education, Adult Vocational Education, Alaska Natives
(1971). Bilagaana Bizaad (The English Language): ESL/EFL in a Navajo Bilingual Setting. To cope with the bilingual education problems in a community such as Rock Point on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico, a program has been developed to teach English as a foreign language within a bilingual setting. The goal is coordinate bilingualism in which each language has a separate but equal status, and the program is a "transitional" one in which Navajo is used as a means to enable children to go to school in English. The program involves team-teaching in two languages with the English-language teacher and the Navajo-language teacher conducting activities at opposite ends of the classroom simultaneously, each working with a relatively small group at a time. In the structure recommended for this program, the Navajo-language teachers are in charge and, in the lower grades especially, they teach content. The English-language teacher is teaching a foreign language, and teaching content is second to teaching English. The English teacher's goal is to make it possible for Navajo children to cope successfully with education in English. [More] Descriptors: American Indians, Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Bilingual Teachers
(1996). Command and Control. Radiological Transportation Emergencies Course. Revision Three. This 12-section course is designed to explain the responsibilities of an incident commander at the scene of a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) transportation incident. It was created for the U.S. Department of Energy WIPP located near Carlsbad, New Mexico, which receives radioactive shipments. The course has two purposes: (1) to provide first responders with the necessary knowledge to respond safely; to protect themselves, the public, and the environment; and (2) to describe the function of the Incident Command System, the Radiological Assistance Team procedures, and the TRUPACT-II (Transuranic Package Container) recovery methods. Section 1 is an introduction that defines WIPP oversight and mission and identifies TRU (transuranic) defense waste generating and storage sites. Each of sections 2-11 consists of a list of enabling objectives and informational material. Topics include the following: introduction to radiation, waste acceptance, transportation regulations, package design, emergency response, first responder actions, contamination control (decontamination), incident command system, radiological assistance team operations, and TRUPACT-II recovery. Section 12 contains these sample forms and checklists: incident command system matrix, fire and hazardous materials worksheet, decision matrix, field report, hazardous materials incident evaluation, and resource list. Appendixes include a glossary and a list of acronyms and abbreviations appearing in the text. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Behavioral Objectives, Curriculum, Emergency Programs
(1994). Comparing Charter School Laws: The Issue of Autonomy. Policy Brief. One issue in school restructuring has been deciding exactly how to make schools more autonomous and accountable. Charter schools, a recent concept, offer a viable means of integrating various reform ideas in order to create highly autonomous and accountable learning environments. This publication defines charter schools; highlights the appeal of such schools; offers nine elements of "stronger" legislation; and classifies existing laws into two broad categories–those granting more autonomy and those granting less autonomy–as a way to distinguish those laws that appear to hold the most promise of success. Six states have passed legislation granting more autonomy to charter schools–Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, California, and Colorado. Those granting less autonomy are Hawaii, Georgia, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. Each state's legislation is briefly described. The passage of stronger charter school legislation (e.g., legal and fiscal autonomy, super waivers, and school-level negotiation/bargaining provisions) is a difficult process. It is important to clarify key concepts and technology early in the process. Two tables that compare the 10 states' charter school laws are included. [More] Descriptors: Accountability, Decentralization, Elementary Secondary Education, Institutional Autonomy
(1989). The Compact Project. School-Business Partnerships for Improving Education. Corporate Action Package. This document profiles the business-education partnerships in 12 cities and reports the lessons learned from their experiences. The cities are Albuquerque (New Mexico), Cincinnati (Ohio), Detroit (Michigan), Indianapolis (Indiana), Louisville (Kentucky), Memphis (Tennessee), Miami/Dade County (Florida), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Providence (Rhode Island), Rochester (New York), San Diego (California), and Seattle (Washington). It was in Boston, Massaachusetts (the first partnership) that the following principles, which were later applied to the compacts in other cities, were identified: (1) develop long-term measurable goals; (2) designate a business intermediary; (3) develop a planning structure; (4) establish baseline data; (5) find secure financial resources; and (6) organize collaboration. Among the lessons learned from the partnerships are that many business leaders must be brought together to coalesce support for education issues; partnerships require long-term commitment; business needs to become involved in the governing structure of schools; and reform requires a high level of interest from educators, business leaders, and government officials. Among the recommendations made on the basis of experience with the partnerships are that a carefully structured and organized school-to-work transition program or "jobs collaborative" can be an effective first step in organizing a partnership; it is essential that all partnership members understand a shared vision of desired changes; and it is important to establish an organization to manage day-to-day efforts. Descriptors: Change Agents, Change Strategies, Cooperative Programs, Corporate Support