Increasing numbers of adults are enroling in doctoral programmes, but their earlier college lives often do not prepare them for the rules of the academic game. Many have no idea what a dissertation looks like, how it gets that way, or what options are available to them.
This book is a practical guide for students who need help in progressing from the decision to write a dissertation to the planning, writing and defending of it. It includes samples of proposals and dissertations that have been accepted and data drawn from a number of sources, including focus groups with doctoral students and graduates and responses to an open-ended questionnaire from doctoral students across the United States.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203024575

Helps teachers find imaginative and innovative methods for teaching in the 14-19 age range
*Tackles problems teacher face, from selecting teaching methods to measuring success through appropriate assessment
*How to improve job satisfaction by exercising creativity in teaching
A thought-provoking and practical book which is an essential and accessible text for new teachers and others who want to make sure that their work with students is innovative and exciting. It is written with new teachers of the 14-19 age range in mind, though there is much to interest those with more experience, as well as those with a role in the development of their colleagues. Setting creativity within a context of reflective practice, the book explores how teachers can choose appropriate teaching methods, decide when and how to use groups in the classroom, and find appropriate forms of assessment for their teaching. It gives full consideration to the nature and implications of professionalism in teaching, to the implications of current ideas in management, to opportunities for creativity as well as issues of quality, equality and stakeholding. Case studies, enquiry tasks and invitations to reflect on specific points are used to aid understanding.

Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schools for the benefit of the teacher and pupil is not a matter of quick 'tips for teachers'. It requires a fundamental review by every teacher of their own performance and its effect on learners. A significant way of achieving this is by reflection on performance that can best be supplied by systematic classroom observation and feedback from professional colleagues. This book describes how to set up and engage in classroom observation and also illustrates how to use focused appraisal sessions and to deliver the feedback interview. Positive Teacher Appraisal Through Classroom Observation provides practical, positive guidance that is underpinned by a tried and tested theory of improving teaching and learning for school development.

In recent years primary education has been the subject of continuing debate with questions of standards and their apparent decline being raised with alarming regularity. Central in informing these debates has been the ORACLE study of groupwork in primary classrooms. Published during the 1980s, the study described in detail the daily life of the primary classroom, the teaching styles used by teachers and the responses of pupils. That research has now been replicated - with over two thirds of the schools originally studied being revisited, using the same tests and observation instruments. This book presents the findings of this second round of research, and is therefore unique in being able authoritatively to document the changes - or lack of them - in primary education and teaching practice over the last twenty years.

In recent years primary education has been the subject of continuing debate with questions of standards and their apparent decline being raised with alarming regularity. Central in informing these debates has been the ORACLE study of groupwork in primary classrooms. Published during the 1980s, the study described in detail the daily life of the primary classroom, the teaching styles used by teachers and the responses of pupils. That research has now been replicated - with over two thirds of the schools originally studied being revisited, using the same tests and observation instruments. This book presents the findings of this second round of research, and is therefore unique in being able authoritatively to document the changes - or lack of them - in primary education and teaching practice over the last twenty years.

During the 1990s school inspection became a controversial political issue. This history of HMI since World War II shows how its independence derives from the work of the 19th century inspectors and examines the relationship between HMI and school, local education authorities and the government. The later chapters study the effect of the 1988 and 1992 Education Acts and conclude with an analysis of proposals for the future of school inspection.

This volume provides in-depth coverage of a key piece of today's human resource selection technology--the viability of alternatives to paper and pencil multiple-choice selection tests. Each chapter of this edited volume presents an intensive examination of a key "alternative to multiple-choice testing." The content of the book's chapters ranges from reviews of issues associated with, and evidence available for, the use of particular selection text alternatives (computerized testing, performance assessments) to empirical investigation of other alternatives (biodata, creative skills); from examination of standards for choosing among selection tests to practitioners' and test takers' perspectives. This book is important for researchers and practitioners in the human resource selection field who have wanted a resource that provides a comprehensive examination of multiple-choice selection testing and its alternatives.

Student teachers have always worked with professionals during their teaching practice, but as teacher training becomes more school based, the role of the mentor has become much more important. Even newer is the emergence of the subject mentor.
This book is an examination of the nature of effective mentoring and its contribution to student teacher development. Part One of the book has a broad perspective and looks at policy developments and the differing approaches to teacher education. Part Two explores central issues which have emerged in the author's research with mentors. It identifies tendencies in subject mentoring which characterise the work of subject mentors in schools, and key aspects of mentoring are examined, such as collaborative teaching, observation and the practice of discursive mentoring.

eBook available with sample pages: 020344129X

This volume deals with a number of related issues that are becoming increasingly crucial for English studies during this time when most faculty in the field are assistant professors approaching tenure review or associate professors seeking promotion. These critical issues focus on:
* The diversity of research and scholarly publication in composition studies;
* The fact that composition studies faculty are often evaluated by personnel committee members, department chairs, and deans unfamiliar with the nature and demands of the field;
* The way that American higher education is rethinking "scholarship" and the role it plays in the work and evaluation of faculty members; and
* The role composition studies faculty can play in this review of scholarship and professional advancement.
This book seeks to address the entire spectrum of "composition studies" -- expository and argumentative writing, personal essay, literary nonfiction, technical and business writing, historical rhetoric, empirical research, and more -- by understanding the nature of and evaluating the work of faculty members in this broad field. Scholarship and advancement issues are discussed in a variety of situations including basic and regular first-year composition classes at four-year and two-year institutions or writing centers, advanced writing courses, ESL and skills-development programs, and writing classes and programs for teachers, administrators, and researchers. The chapters focus on a variety of subjects, including the importance of mentoring and faculty development in all departments and institutions; and how young scholar-teachers and assistant professors can prepare for a successful personnel or tenure review.

This guide contains an overview of existing successful appraisal practices and practical suggestions for both those managing and undertaking appraisal. The book takes into account up-to-date policies and changes in appraisal.

Systems for the appraisal of teachers have been in place since 1992, bringing with them considerable controversy. How effective are they? What does this mean for the classroom teacher? This study, led by Ted Wragg, tackles these and many other questions. It uses as its basis information gathered from all 109 Local Education authorities, 658 primary and secondary teachers and 479 appraisers. Teacher appraisal is examined from the perspectives of all those concerned and at all levels. The main focus of the study is on teacher competence in the classroom, which lies at the heart of school effectiveness and improving pupils' achievement. Through the use of a variety of methods, including intensive case studies, the book provides an insight into the quality of classroom practice and teacher appraisal today, what it means for those involved and how to use this knowledge to move on from this point.

This book enables the lecturer to explore issues, dilemmas and situations which confront the stakeholders in further and higher education. These dilemmas include competency models of learning and assessment, resource issues in assessment, the pressures of overwork on lecturers, and the maintenance of personal integrity. The book explores how assessment and evaluation of student learning and tutors teaching are affected by institutional and governmental arrangements.

This text provides an evaluation of headteachers' tasks, including categories and specific tasks. It also contains a list of heads' preferred personality characteristics, indicating their favourite ways of working, leadership styles and team roles.

This account of teacher research is a study of four first grade classrooms, and the interaction between the teachers and their students. The accounts give examples of "good teaching" and show, through case studies, how the students can better learn and teachers better teach. The author demonstrates examples of good teaching by means of dialogues between teachers and students, and she sees the "ethnography of empowerment" as bringing university staff closer to the empowering practice, in the same way that teacher-research work has brought teachers closer to empowering university practice.

As the initial training of teachers becomes increasingly school-based, and as schools and colleges develop formal induction programmes for their newly qualified teachers, the role of the teacher mentor is fast becoming a pivotal one in teacher education. Individual sections look at mentoring as it relates to: initial training; induction; assessment; and whole institution staff development. Throughout, the emphasis is on the ways in which mentoring contributes at all points in the continuum of professional development. Anyone involved in mentoring in any setting - from the primary school to the adult education college - should find this book useful as a guide to reflection and a spur to action. Trevor Kerry has also published "Topic Work in the Primary School" (Routledge, 1988) and "Developing Teachers Professionally" (Routledge, 1993). Ann Shelton Mayes is co-author, with Bob Moon, of "Teaching and Learning in the Secondary School" (Routledge, 1993).

The first part of this book charts and analyses 2,688 working days of 384 teachers in 91 LEAs in 1991. It shows how they spent their working lives, how well matched their teaching was to their academic background, and the balance between teaching and other aspects of their work. The analysis uses five major categories: Teaching, Preparation, Administration, Professional Development and Other Activities. The authors argue that there is an occupational split between `the managers' and `the teachers'. The second part comments on the findings by relating them to issues of school management, and teacher professionalism, arguing that `conscientiousness' poses a professional dilemma for secondary teachers.

This account of teacher research is a study of four first grade classrooms, and the interaction between the teachers and their students. The accounts give examples of "good teaching" and show, through case studies, how the students can better learn and teachers better teach. The author demonstrates examples of good teaching by means of dialogues between teachers and students, and she sees the "ethnography of empowerment" as bringing university staff closer to the empowering practice, in the same way that teacher-research work has brought teachers closer to empowering university practice.

The first part of this book charts and analyses 2,688 working days of 384 teachers in 91 LEAs in 1991. It shows how they spent their working lives, how well matched their teaching was to their academic background, and the balance between teaching and other aspects of their work. The analysis uses five major categories: Teaching, Preparation, Administration, Professional Development and Other Activities. The authors argue that there is an occupational split between `the managers' and `the teachers'. The second part comments on the findings by relating them to issues of school management, and teacher professionalism, arguing that `conscientiousness' poses a professional dilemma for secondary teachers.

The first part of this book charts and analyzes the working days of 326 primary school teachers. It shows how they spent their working lives, the nature of the curriculum they taught, and analyzes their work into five main categories: Teaching, Preparation, Administration, Professional Development and Other Activities. The second part comments on the findings by relating them to issues of school management and curriculum manageability and looks at how the idea of conscientiousness' among primary school teachers may have led to their exploitation.

This research-based book offers practical guidance on how to go about performance management. Based on experience of working with schools and running courses, and using the latest research on business strategies appropriate for education, it: o looks at what performance management means in practice o offers advice on how to go about monitoring o explains how to use data from pupil assessments o suggests ways to judge the effectiveness of teaching through analysing children's work o gives guidance on monitoring planning, assessment and observing lessons o proposes how to 1853467693reas for development, set objectives and draw up action plans o contains useful photocopiable formats o uses case study material to illustrate potential problems and good practice Throughout, the purpose is to help schools and teachers to be more effective.

Good teachers are distinguished by their characteristics - passion, integrity, initiative, confidence and more - yet recruitment tends to focus on skills and knowledge. Skills are vital, but are not the whole picture. This handbook provides a comprehensive technique for spotting and assessing the deeper characteristics of outstanding teachers during interview, using the Hay McBer research into effective teaching. Spotting an outstanding teacher, however, is wasted if they are not attracted to the school. Included in this guide is a means of evaluating, improving and communicating a school's attractiveness to candidates and existing staff. Providing a pathway through the complex recruitment process - from defining the school's needs to welcoming the new recruit into the school - this book includes: research into teacher effectiveness critical incident interviews definition and attraction assessment induction. Presenting surveys, original research into effective teaching, and interviews with recruiters and recruits, this lively guide offers practical advice for all schools.

A guide to current practice in assessment, particularly for those professionals coming to terms with new pressures on their traditional teaching practices. Increased use of IT, flexible assessment methods and quality assurance all affect assessment, and the need to diversify and adapt traditional assessment practices to suit new modes of learning is clearer than ever. The Student Assessment Handbook looks at the effectiveness of traditional methods in the present day and provides guidelines on how these methods may be developed to suit today's teaching environments. It is a practical resource with case studies, reflection boxes and diagnostic tools to help the reader apply the principles to everyday teaching. The book provides advice on a wide range of topics including: * assessing to promote particular kinds of learning outcomes * using meaningful assessment techniques to assess large groups * the implications of flexible learning on timing and pacing of assessment * the pros and cons of online assessment * tackling Web plagiarism and the authentication of student work * mentoring assessment standards * assessing generic skills and quality assurance.

Induction - the first year of a teacher's career - is a crucial, and potentially difficult, period. This book, the work of a well-known and highly respected team of experts on the subject, is based on a comprehensive nationwide research project into the implementation and effectiveness of the latest statutory regulations covering induction in England. It includes not only findings from this research, but also numerous ideas from, and examples of, best practice.
Including case studies from primary and secondary schools, in the state and private sectors,
This book raises awareness of the complexities entailed in inducting new teachers, addresses the issues, dilemmas and problems of induction and celebrates the achievements of the national induction policy. Its insights provide an invaluable guide to the effective implementation of induction in schools.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203220153

An examination of the ways in which gender intersects with informal and formal education in England, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, USA and the Netherlands. The book looks at various issues including: citizenship; authority; colonialism and education; linkages between rationality and affect, desire and pedagogy; the construction of national identities; and the traversing of public and private identites by parents, educational reformers and teachers.

Drawing on her many years as an analyst for the US based Educational Testing Service,the author offers the first balanced overview of the many-headed debate about the usefulness and reliability of standardized tests.