Over the last couple of decades, the neoliberal educational agenda has affected educational practices and schooling purposes worldwide. As a result, all of the features of education have been profoundly affected by such a shift. While there has been work done on what neoliberal mindset is and how and why it affects all levels of educational…

For eight years, more than a dozen district superintendents in New Jersey have joined together for a full day each month during the school year to listen to and learn from each other as a community of practice. Known as the New Jersey Network of Superintendents, this community of practice has a tight focus on advancing equity through improvement…

"Improving School Board Effectiveness" offers a clarifying and essential look at the evolving role of school boards and how they contribute to efforts to improve student learning. It examines how board members can establish effective district priorities, and it explores those board policies and actions that result in shared, districtwide…

In New York's Port Washington Union Free School District, security and privacy for students, faculty, and staff coexist--thanks to security cameras with eyelids. In 2010, video cameras donated by New York-based SituCon Systems were installed in the main lobby at two of the district's seven schools. "We really haven't had the kind of incidents…

A camcorder can be a powerful tool in pedagogical settings, such as in an introductory physics course or in introducing undergraduates to data collection. In this paper, we discuss our experience using a Panasonic PV-GS150 digital camcorder to analyze the motion of a falling steel ball, with the goal of determining the acceleration due to gravity,…

Amid the country's economic downturn, planned giving levels by many education grantmakers declined last year. A new analysis of trends in education philanthropy finds, however, that a sizable minority of those surveyed said they expected the grants paid out to hold steady, compared with 2008. A smaller group even planned to increase funding. The…

A diverse and growing body of research points to the need for an overhaul of America's public education systems. The Panasonic Foundation created its Partnership Program for systemic educational reform in 1987. Since then, the foundation has collaborated with 16 school districts and 3 state departments of education. This book informs others…

Examines the periodical "Scienceland," a Panasonic light scope, and an astronomy light for quality, accuracy, and usefulness in the classroom. (MA)

The Panasonic Foundation provides resources for restructuring school districts. The article examines its partnership with the San Diego City School District, highlighting four schools that demonstrate promising practices and guiding principles. It describes recent partnership work on systemic issues, noting the next steps to be taken in San Diego.…

Describes the 1998 Panasonic Academic Challenge including the configuration of the competition, source of questions, use of technology during the competition, and prizes for the winners. (DDR)

The Panasonic Foundation made the improvement of elementary and secondary education its primary mission. The article describes its partnership program which involved it in long-term, intensive relationships with urban school districts. Evaluation of the partnership indicates it has been central in promoting reflective thinking and educational…

An evaluation of five voice calculators now on the market--the Canon SP-1260-D, Panasonic JE-165OU and JE-72OU, Sharp EL-620, and Speech Plus--by 20 legally blind adults indicated that most can easily by used by visually handicapped people. Descriptive information is given. (Author/MC)

The Panasonic Partnership Program's framework for school success includes (1) vision of equity and learning for all; (2) centrality of school; (3) clear role delineation; (4) integrated assessment practices; (5) results-based accountability; (6) well-managed data; (7) effective communication; (8) involvement of teacher unions; and (9) community…

Poor classroom acoustics are impairing students' hearing and their ability to learn. However, technology has come up with a solution: tools that focus voices in a way that minimizes intrusive ambient noise and gets to the intended receiver--not merely amplifying the sound, but also clarifying and directing it. One provider of classroom audio…

In the face of mounting evidence that schools are losing alarming numbers of young black men, a small band of educators gathered recently in Brookline, Massachusetts, to bolster one response to the crisis: creating public schools designed to serve African-American males. Haunted by the specter of a bleak future for millions of young men--and aware…