African-American Males, African-American Female Principals, & The Opportunity Gap

Over the past decade, research has been devoted to bridging the gap in academics and opportunity among African-American males. Missing from the dialogue however, are the voices of African-American female leaders. This voice will not only play an instrumental part in mediating cultural misunderstandings that occur in the classroom, but it will also facilitate a much needed conversation in understanding gender and race by displaying different views on educational leadership. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of the opportunity gap among African-American female principals in Title I schools to raise the presence of their voice in this educational discussion. As the opportunity gap is an issue that has a global impact, this research can be transferred to various contexts in the educational setting. The findings that emerged from this study can assist both rural and Title I school districts in reevaluating existing educational programs or aid in designing new initiatives to improve outcomes for low-performing African-American males. Moreover, this data can support school districts in developing the cultural competence of teachers and staff through professional development and culturally sensitive pedagogy

Positioning for the Possible: Investing in Education Reform in New Mexico

At the beginning of 2010, the New Mexico Association of Grantmakers (NMAG ) asked Chris Sturgis of MetisNet to explore ways in which philanthropic investments could be structured to lead to improved student achievement and to produce a more effective public education system. This paper is designed to provoke discussion among funders and educational leadership to discover ways to maximize the benefits of philanthropic investments in New Mexico

Advancing Faculty DiversityThrough Self-Directed Mentoring

Mentoring is widely acknowledged to be important in career success, yet may be lacking for female and minority law professors, contributing to disparities in retention and promotion of diverse faculty. This Article presents the results of a unique diversity mentoring program conducted at one law school. Mentoring is often thought of as something directed by the mentor on behalf of the protégé. Our framework inverts that model, empowering diverse faculty members to proactively cultivate their own networks of research mentors. The studied intervention consisted of modest programming on mentorship, along with supplemental travel funds to focus specifically on travel for the purpose of cultivating mentors beyond one’s own institution. Participants were responsible for setting their own mentorship goals, approaching mentors and arranging meetings, and reporting annually on their activities and progress. Both quantitative and qualitative evidence demonstrate that the program has been effective along its measurable goals in its first year. Participants report growing their networks of mentors, receiving significant advice on research and the tenure process, and being sponsored for new opportunities. The authors conclude that this type of mentoring initiative, if more broadly applied, could have a significant impact on reducing disparities in retention and promotion in the legal academy. To facilitate such replication, the Article describes both the process of designing the program and the actual operation of the program as carried out at one school. In sum, the Article offers a concrete starting point for discussions at any law school interested in advancing faculty diversity through improved mentoring

Middle school students' perceptions of engineering

This paper focuses on implementing engineering education in middle school classrooms (grade levels 7-9). One of the aims of the study was to foster students’ and teachers’ knowledge and understanding of engineering in society. Given the increasing importance of engineering in shaping our daily lives, it is imperative that we foster in students an interest and drive to participate in engineering education, increase their awareness of engineering as a career path, and inform them of the links between engineering and the enabling subjects, mathematics, science, and technology. Data for the study are drawn from five classes across three schools. Grade 7 students’ responded to initial whole class discussions on what is an engineer, what is engineering, what characteristics engineers require, engineers (family/friends) that they know, and subjects that may facilitate an engineering career. Students generally viewed engineers as creative, future-oriented, and artistic problem finders and solvers; planners and designers; “seekers” and inventors; and builders of constructions. Students also viewed engineers as adventurous, decisive, community-minded, reliable, and “smart.” In addition to a range of mathematics and science topics, students identified business studies, ICT, graphics, art, and history as facilitating careers in engineering. Although students displayed a broadened awareness of engineering than the existing research suggests, there was limited knowledge of various engineering fields and a strong perception of engineering as large construction

Increasing Active Living: A Guide for Policy-Makers

Outlines how street layout, zoning, recreation facilities, and public building locations shape residents' physical activity. Suggests state and local policies on planning, land use, transportation, and space design to create activity-friendly communities

Strengthening High School Teaching and Learning in New Hampshire's Competency-Based System

For a century, most students have advanced from grade to grade based on the number of days they spend in class, but in New Hampshire, schools have moved away from "seat time" and toward "competency-based learning," which advances students when they have mastered course content. This report profiles how two high schools in New Hampshire made this shift and examines the changes that were necessary to make competency-based advancement an important part of New Hampshire's strategy for implementing the Common Core State Standards and ensuring that students graduate ready for college and a career

Formulating a State Approach to Professional Development

When viewed from the perspective of an entire state\u27s needs, the challenges of designing professional development to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation of 2001 are daunting. In Oklahoma, the concerns about delivering to rural and urban populations which contain a variety of underserved populations are further complicated by the differences in the way science and mathematics are structured as disciplines. We describe two model programs, one in science and one in mathematics, which take much different approaches. However, the programs have three common elements that make them highly successful. Each program engages teachers strongly, seeks to change learning by altering both teachers\u27 behavior and content knowledge, and is continuously reflective

Writing curricula design: Aims and practices

Udostępnienie publikacji Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego finansowane w ramach projektu „Doskonałość naukowa kluczem do doskonałości kształcenia”. Projekt realizowany jest ze środków Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego w ramach Programu Operacyjnego Wiedza Edukacja Rozwój; nr umowy: POWER.03.05.00-00-Z092/17-00

When Failure Is Not an Option: Designing Competency-Based Pathways for Next Generation Learning

Proposes an online learning-assisted model in which students advance by demonstrating mastery of subjects based on clear, measurable objectives and meaningful assessments. Examines innovation drivers, challenges, and philanthropic opportunities

Leading School Improvement: What Research Says

Examines practices that promote student achievement through school leadership. Looks at strategies and programs that improve student engagement and motivation, and organizational and management practices that support student learning