The author relates the quality of her educational experiences and the influence of her college teachers that led her to pursue graduate degrees. She criticizes the educational philosophy underlying the University of Alberta (Canada) publication, "Quality First," that narrowly envisions the future of higher education in Canada. (LP)

Traces development and implementation of a 4-day school week at an Alberta junior high school that extended the school day 40 minutes, resulted in more classes taught in a shorter time period, and decreased student discipline problems. Describes parent and community reactions. Includes recommendations for planning educational change. (LP)

Educational tracking of 232 English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) high school students in Alberta (Canada) found a drop-out rate of 74%. The drop-out rate varied dramatically with student's English language proficiency upon entry to high school. Evidence of drop-out subcategories termed "fall-out" and "push-out" indicates the need for extended ESL…

Examines how principals, vice-principals, and department heads perceive and carry out their roles in relation to beginning teacher support. Addresses issues identified as problematic in school-based teacher development efforts (role conflict, school culture, resistance to change, overburdened administrators), and relates how four school…

Writing teams composed of school administrators and university personnel in Western Australia, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories developed regional profiles of effective principalships for use as a resource in developing effective school leadership programs. Common components of profiles included effective practices relating to school culture…

Interviews with 498 undergraduate students who withdrew from a large western Canadian university and 153 students who continued their studies examined demographic, academic, financial, personal, and learning characteristics. Compares characteristics of students required to withdraw, those who withdrew formally, those who did not return, and…

The Student Teachers' Feelings-of-Preparedness to Teach Scale and individual interviews examined perceptions of first-year Canadian teachers about their preparedness to teach. Includes conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of their two-year teacher education program at the University of British Columbia, suggestions for program…

Reviews "War against the School's Academic Child Abuse," by Siegfried Engelmann, which criticizes the government, textbook publishers, colleges of education, professional organizations, and businesses for playing politics and not acknowledging what schools need to change to benefit students. Relates Engelmann's experience in promoting educational…

The eight chapters of this theme issue discuss recent research and theory concerning computer-based integrated learning systems. Following an introduction about their theoretical background and current use in schools, the effects of using computer-based integrated learning systems in the elementary school classroom are considered. (SLD)

The six chapters of this theme issue consider three trends in educational effectiveness research: (1) integration of effectiveness phenomena at different levels, (2) a more model-driven approach than in the past, and (3) increased complexity of analysis tools and techniques to suit the new emphasis on process. (SLD)

In contextual supervision (CS) (an adaptation of situational leadership), the student teacher's (supervisee's) level of confidence and competence determines level of supervisory support and task orientation. CS also encourages a global view of all contextual variables. Observation of 49 untrained pairs of practicum students and cooperating…

Two experiments studied teachers' proficiency in assessing students' higher order thinking skills. After training alone or after training plus implementation of an instructional unit on correlational thinking, teacher ratings of student samples did not correspond highly with an expert's assessment although they showed sensitivity to student age…

Identifies and analyzes factors within and without the University of Alberta that impeded the development of teacher education programs there prior to 1942. Concludes that eventually the university prevailed against the will of the provincial government, establishing that the knowledge and competence for determining the configuration of the…

The Manitoba Government Support to Education (GSE) Program of public school funding was implemented in 1985 to enhance equity in Manitoba schools. Analysis of financial data from all 47 school divisions prior to and during the first 3 years of GSE implementation reveals that GSE reduced financial equity, particularly for rural school divisions.…

A proposed educational finance system for the Northwest Territories, a rural area with a predominantly aboriginal population, appears to combine equity, adequacy, efficiency, and choice. The system pays actual costs for an agreed level of service, allows local discretion in resource allocation, and provides training and policy support to…