The Carnegie structure, involving seven-period days and nine different locations daily, is an ineffective system. The Copernican plan changes school scheduling by lengthening instructional periods for fewer and smaller classes. The system should improve teacher-student relationships, lighten workloads, and introduce innovative evaluation and…

Presents various modifications to the traditional school day and year such as extending the school day, increasing the number of instructional days, or rescheduling school breaks throughout the year. Provides economic, instructional, and lifestyle implications. Also addresses such issues as teachers' professional development, air-conditioning,…

Unsuccessful at easing teachers into heterogeneous grouping practices, an Indiana principal used a small grant allowing teachers to view thematic instruction, cooperative learning, and flexible-scheduling innovations at sister schools. For a modest cost (substitutes, lunch, and mileage), teachers made greater attitude changes in one year than…

Describes the revised social studies curriculum at Wausau West High School (Wisconsin). Discusses interdisciplinary cooperation among teachers, team teaching, and emphasis on higher order thinking skills. Contends that flexible scheduling and varying class size contribute to the program's effectiveness. (CFR)

Observes that the development of new instructional technologies has produced a proliferation of distance learning courses and programs. Examines one mode of distance learning, known as asynchronous learning networks, and discusses some pedagogical principles and practices that can guide this delivery mode. Points to some positive aspects of online…

Describes how to approach block scheduling of science classes. Discusses the planning process, specific activities that work well in longer science classes, and techniques for motivating students. (DDR)

Discusses ways to implement interdisciplinary teams to create high performance learning communities for students. Considers team tasks and needs, applying team tasks to responsive school structures, and enhancing instruction through flexible time use. (JPB)

Many kinds of educational reform, especially site-based management, have contributed to teacher empowerment. The success of these reforms, however, is contingent upon administrative leadership that is willing to share power. This paper describes the attitudes of teachers toward site-based management (SBM), with a focus on the effects of…

This report by Maine's Task Force on Year-Round Education to the State Board of Education explores the feasibility of changing the school calendar--to distribute instructional time over more calendar months in order to enhance student learning. The new schedule could reduce teacher and student absenteeism, limit the loss of learning during summer…

This paper was prepared to assist the National Education Commission on Time and Learning. It provides a review of available research on major issues facing the commission and is organized to conform to the commission's legislative mandate as expressed in Public Law 102-62. An overview section reviews the major points discussed in each section of…

Most school practitioners, policymakers, and patrons hold strong opinions on year-round education (YRE). This paper determines which of the various assertions made about YRE are supported by research findings and evaluation studies of YRE. Specifically, the paper summarizes and synthesizes what is currently known about the impact of YRE on…

A modular system for undergraduate programs was implemented in three degree programs at Napier University in Scotland. This paper describes the degree course structure prior to 1992-93 and factors leading to change, including university response to government policy encouraging wider access to higher education. A rationale for modularization is…

This paper addresses the role of college and university class scheduling in meeting the needs of its students. It first discusses the balancing of schedules in order to satisfy not only student needs, but also faculty interests and the administrative concerns relative to facility availability and funding support. Surveys are suggested as a good…

The four-day school week is a Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday alternative to the traditional four-day week, which can be implemented with many variables and differing objectives. The four-day week saves heating, transportation, maintenance, electricity and some instructional costs, while providing better educational opportunities and use of…

Presenting a short summary of the advantages and disadvantages of four different year-round education calendars including three- and four-track schedules and four- and five-term quarter systems, this document contains numerous graphs, sample calendar models, and schedules. Also detailed within this document is a proposed year-round calendar for…