The Effectiveness of One School District\u27s Basal Reader Selection Process

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the basal reader selection process in one midwestern school district. The study took place during the academic year immediately following that district\u27s basal selection process, in the midst of teachers\u27 first year teaching with a newly adopted basal reading program and was guided by two questions: 1) what type of reading instruction did teachers intend for their classrooms when they adopted this particular reading program and 2) was that type of instruction occurring

Enhanced Software for Scheduling Space-Shuttle Processing

The Ground Processing Scheduling System (GPSS) computer program is used to develop streamlined schedules for the inspection, repair, and refurbishment of space shuttles at Kennedy Space Center. A scheduling computer program is needed because space-shuttle processing is complex and it is frequently necessary to modify schedules to accommodate unanticipated events, unavailability of specialized personnel, unexpected delays, and the need to repair newly discovered defects. GPSS implements constraint-based scheduling algorithms and provides an interactive scheduling software environment. In response to inputs, GPSS can respond with schedules that are optimized in the sense that they contain minimal violations of constraints while supporting the most effective and efficient utilization of space-shuttle ground processing resources. The present version of GPSS is a product of re-engineering of a prototype version. While the prototype version proved to be valuable and versatile as a scheduling software tool during the first five years, it was characterized by design and algorithmic deficiencies that affected schedule revisions, query capability, task movement, report capability, and overall interface complexity. In addition, the lack of documentation gave rise to difficulties in maintenance and limited both enhanceability and portability. The goal of the GPSS re-engineering project was to upgrade the prototype into a flexible system that supports multiple- flow, multiple-site scheduling and that retains the strengths of the prototype while incorporating improvements in maintainability, enhanceability, and portability

Tulley, Michael A., and Roger Farr, The Purposes of State Level Textbook Adoption: What Does the Legislation Reveal? Journal of Research and Development in Education, 18(Winter, 1985), 1-6.

Provides a case study of legislating state textbook adoptions