bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Sea Surface Temperature in Reanalysis
Authors: Kanamitsu Masao , Hwang Seung-On
Published: March 2006

With the aim of understanding the role of SST in the reanalysis for the preradiosonde, presatellite, and satellite eras, a number of observation system experiments were performed using the NCEP/Department of Energy (DOE) reanalysis system. Five pairs of experiments were conducted using observed and climatological SSTs for cases 1) without any observation, 2) surface pressure observation only with the observation density of 1915, 3) surface pressure observation with the observation density of 1997, 4) surface observation and radiosondes, and 5) all observations, including satellite retrievals. The analyses were run for 4 months in 1997 (strong El Niño) and 1993 (near-normal SST). The impact of SST and the various observation systems on the analysis of near-surface parameters, the upper-level field, and several diagnostic fields were compared against the control analysis with observed SST and all available observations.

The most important finding of this study is that the impact of SST varies with the time scale of the analysis, which is most apparent in the surface-pressure-only observation experiments. The impact of SST is largest for the low-frequency (seasonal) analyses and smaller for the high-frequency (daily) analyses. This is particularly apparent for near-surface temperature and upper-level height field analyses. In the extreme case of the strong El Niño year, the simulation with observed SST without any observations [Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP)-type run] produced seasonal mean 2-m temperature (T2M) and 500-hPa height fields that agreed better with the control analysis than the analysis with surface pressure observation only with climatological SST. On the contrary, the impact of surface pressure observation is greater on higher-frequency analyses, and lower on low-frequency analyses.

Generally speaking, accurate analysis of SST is important when limited atmospheric observation is available. But even for the full atmospheric observation system, climatological SST produces inferior analysis over ocean as well as land.

The introduction of radiosonde data drastically reduces errors in the analyses and diagnostic fields; thus, radiosonde data are indispensable for accurate estimation of the atmospheric state in both short and long time scales.
NOGAPS-ALPHA Simulations of the 2002 Southern Hemisphere Stratospheric Major Warming
Authors: Allen Douglas R. , Coy Lawrence , Eckermann Stephen D. , McCormack John P. , Manney Gloria L. , Hogan Timothy F. , Kim Young-Joon
Published: March 2006

A high-altitude version of the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) spectral forecast model is used to simulate the unusual September 2002 Southern Hemisphere stratospheric major warming. Designated as NOGAPS-Advanced Level Physics and High Altitude (NOGAPS-ALPHA), this model extends from the surface to 0.005 hPa (∼85 km altitude) and includes modifications to multiple components of the operational NOGAPS system, including a new radiative heating scheme, middle-atmosphere gravity wave drag parameterizations, hybrid vertical coordinate, upper-level meteorological initialization, and radiatively active prognostic ozone with parameterized photochemistry. NOGAPS-ALPHA forecasts (hindcasts) out to 6 days capture the main features of the major warming, such as the zonal mean wind reversal, planetary-scale wave amplification, large upward Eliassen–Palm (EP) fluxes, and splitting of the polar vortex in the middle stratosphere. Forecasts beyond 6 days have reduced upward EP flux in the lower stratosphere, reduced amplitude of zonal wavenumbers 2 and 3, and a middle stratospheric vortex that does not split. Three-dimensional EP-flux diagnostics in the troposphere reveal that the longer forecasts underestimate upward-propagating planetary wave energy emanating from a significant blocking pattern over the South Atlantic that played a large role in forcing the major warming. Forecasts of less than 6 days are initialized with the blocking in place, and therefore are not required to predict the blocking onset. For a more thorough skill assessment, NOGAPS-ALPHA forecasts over 3 weeks during September–October 2002 are compared with operational NOGAPS 5-day forecasts made at the time. NOGAPS-ALPHA forecasts initialized with 2002 operational NOGAPS analyses show a modest improvement in skill over the NOGAPS operational forecasts. An additional, larger improvement is obtained when NOGAPS-ALPHA is initialized with reanalyzed 2002 fields produced with the currently operational (as of October 2003) Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Atmospheric Variational Data Assimilation System (NAVDAS). Thus the combination of higher model top, better physical parameterizations, and better initial conditions all yield improved forecasting skill over the NOGAPS forecasts issued operationally at the time.
Modulation of South Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones by the Madden–Julian Oscillation and Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves
Authors: Bessafi Miloud , Wheeler Matthew C.
Published: March 2006

The subseasonal modulation of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis by large-scale atmospheric wave modes is studied using data from the south Indian Ocean region. The modes considered are the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), and the convectively coupled equatorial Rossby (ER), Kelvin, and mixed Rossby–gravity (MRG) waves. Analysis of all TCs west of 100°E reveals a large and statistically significant modulation by the MJO and ER waves, a small yet significant modulation by Kelvin waves, and a statistically insignificant modulation by MRG waves. Attribution of the observed TC modulation was made through examination of the wave-induced perturbations to the dynamical fields of low-level vorticity, vertical shear, and deep convection. Possible thermodynamic influences on TC genesis were neglected. Different combinations of the three dynamical fields were necessary for successful attribution for each of the large-scale wave modes. For example, for the MJO, the modulation was best attributable to its perturbations to both the vorticity and shear fields, while for the ER wave, it was its perturbations to the convection and vorticity fields that appeared to best be able to explain the modulation. It appears that there is no single factor that can be used for the attribution of all subseasonal TC variability. Finally, it is shown that the modulation of TCs by at least the MJO and ER waves is large enough to warrant further investigation for prediction on the weekly time scale.
A Laboratory Study of the Benefits of Including Uncertainty Information in Weather Forecasts
Authors: Roulston Mark S. , Bolton Gary E. , Kleit Andrew N. , Sears-Collins Addison L.
Published: March 2006

Modern operational methods of numerical weather prediction, such as “ensemble forecasting,” allow assessments of state-dependent predictability to be made. This means that forecast-specific estimates of the forecast standard errors are possible. Quantitative estimates of forecast uncertainty are often not communicated to the public as it is unclear what the value of this information will be to people who must make weather-dependent decisions. Using laboratory-based methods developed by experimental economists to study individual choice it is found that nonspecialists are able to make better decisions that increase their expected reward while reducing their exposure to risk, when provided with information about the day-to-day uncertainty associated with temperature forecasts. The experimental framework used herein may provide a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness with which weather forecasts can be communicated to end users.
Improving Snowfall Forecasting by Accounting for the Climatological Variability of Snow Density
Authors: Ware Eric C. , Schultz David M. , Brooks Harold E. , Roebber Paul J. , Bruening Sara L.
Published: March 2006

Accurately forecasting snowfall is a challenge. In particular, one poorly understood component of snowfall forecasting is determining the snow ratio. The snow ratio is the ratio of snowfall to liquid equivalent and is inversely proportional to the snow density. In a previous paper, an artificial neural network was developed to predict snow ratios probabilistically in three classes: heavy (1:1 < ratio < 9:1), average (9:1 ≤ ratio ≤ 15:1), and light (ratio > 15:1). A Web-based application for the probabilistic prediction of snow ratio in these three classes based on operational forecast model soundings and the neural network is now available. The goal of this paper is to explore the statistical characteristics of the snow ratio to determine how temperature, liquid equivalent, and wind speed can be used to provide additional guidance (quantitative, wherever possible) for forecasting snowfall, especially for extreme values of snow ratio. Snow ratio tends to increase as the low-level (surface to roughly 850 mb) temperature decreases. For example, mean low-level temperatures greater than −2.7°C rarely (less than 5% of the time) produce snow ratios greater than 25:1, whereas mean low-level temperatures less than −10.1°C rarely produce snow ratios less than 10:1. Snow ratio tends to increase strongly as the liquid equivalent decreases, leading to a nomogram for probabilistic forecasting snowfall, given a forecasted value of liquid equivalent. For example, liquid equivalent amounts 2.8–4.1 mm (0.11–0.16 in.) rarely produce snow ratios less than 14:1, and liquid equivalent amounts greater than 11.2 mm (0.44 in.) rarely produce snow ratios greater than 26:1. The surface wind speed plays a minor role by decreasing snow ratio with increasing wind speed. Although previous research has shown simple relationships to determine the snow ratio are difficult to obtain, this note helps to clarify some situations where such relationships are possible.
A Novel Approach to Marine Wind Speed Assessment Using Synthetic Aperture Radar
Authors: Sikora Todd D. , Young George S. , Winstead Nathaniel S.
Published: March 2006

This paper describes a product that allows one to assess the lower and upper bounds on synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based marine wind speed. The SAR-based wind speed fields of the current research are generated using scatterometry techniques and, thus, depend on a priori knowledge of the wind direction field. The assessment product described here consists of a pair of wind speed images bounding the wind speed range consistent with the observed SAR data. The minimum wind speed field is generated by setting the wind direction field to be directly opposite to the radar look direction. The maximum wind speed field is generated by setting the wind direction field to be perpendicular to the radar look direction. Although the assessment product could be generated using any marine SAR scene, it is expected to be most useful in coastal regions where the large concentration of maritime operations requires accurate, high-resolution wind speed data and when uncertainty in the a priori knowledge of the wind direction precludes the generation of accurate SAR-based wind speed fields. The assessment product is demonstrated using a case in the northern Gulf of Alaska where synoptic-scale and mesoscale meteorological events coexist. The corresponding range of possible SAR-based wind speed is large enough to have operational significance to mariners and weather forecasters. It is recommended that the product become available to the public through an appropriate government outlet.
The Impact of Writing Area Forecast Discussions on Student Forecaster Performance
Authors: Market Patrick S.
Published: March 2006

A brief study is provided on the forecast performance of students who write a mock area forecast discussion (AFD) on a weekly basis. Student performance was tracked for one semester (11 weeks) during the University of Missouri—Columbia's local weather forecast game. The hypothesis posed is that student performance is no better on days when they compose an AFD. A nonparametric Mann–Whitney test cannot reject that hypothesis. However, the same test employed on precipitation forecasts (for days when precipitation actually fell) shows that there is a statistically significant difference (p = 0.02) between the scores of those students writing an AFD and those who do not. Similar results are found with a chi-square test. Thus, AFD writers improve their precipitation score on days when significant weather occurred. Forecaster confidence is also enhanced by AFD composition.
Evolution of the U.S. Tornado Database: 1954–2003
Authors: Verbout Stephanie M. , Brooks Harold E. , Leslie Lance M. , Schultz David M.
Published: March 2006

Over the last 50 yr, the number of tornadoes reported in the United States has doubled from about 600 per year in the 1950s to around 1200 in the 2000s. This doubling is likely not related to meteorological causes alone. To account for this increase a simple least squares linear regression was fitted to the annual number of tornado reports. A “big tornado day” is a single day when numerous tornadoes and/or many tornadoes exceeding a specified intensity threshold were reported anywhere in the country. By defining a big tornado day without considering the spatial distribution of the tornadoes, a big tornado day differs from previous definitions of outbreaks. To address the increase in the number of reports, the number of reports is compared to the expected number of reports in a year based on linear regression. In addition, the F1 and greater Fujita-scale record was used in determining a big tornado day because the F1 and greater series was more stationary over time as opposed to the F2 and greater series. Thresholds were applied to the data to determine the number and intensities of the tornadoes needed to be considered a big tornado day. Possible threshold values included fractions of the annual expected value associated with the linear regression and fixed numbers for the intensity criterion. Threshold values of 1.5% of the expected annual total number of tornadoes and/or at least 8 F1 and greater tornadoes identified about 18.1 big tornado days per year. Higher thresholds such as 2.5% and/or at least 15 F1 and greater tornadoes showed similar characteristics, yet identified approximately 6.2 big tornado days per year. Finally, probability distribution curves generated using kernel density estimation revealed that big tornado days were more likely to occur slightly earlier in the year and have a narrower distribution than any given tornado day.
2 Clement and the Meaning of the Christian Homily
Authors: Parvis Paul
Published: March 2006

The Second Letter of Clement to the Corinthians is not a letter, does not claim to be by anyone named Clement, and probably has nothing to do with Corinth. What it is is a homily - almost certainly the earliest preserved Christian homily - which, precisely in its seeming mundaneness and ordinariness, bears witness to a conviction that the Gospel was meant to bring about a new and radical transformation at the very heart of ordinary, everyday lives.
Prayer and the Coming of the Spirit in Acts
Authors: Twelftree Graham H.
Published: March 2006

Paying particular attention to passages in Acts that deal with the coming of the Spirit, as well as others which may help understand how the motif of prayer functions in Luke’s narrative shows that, for him, the Spirit comes not in direct response to prayer but according to God’s determination and timing to devoted or prayerful people.
Subordinates' Resistance and Managers' Evaluations of Subordinates' Performance
Authors: Tepper Bennett J. , Uhl-Bien Mary , Kohut Gary F. , Rogelberg Steven G. , Lockhart Daniel E. , Ensley Michael D.
Published: March 2006

The authors explored the validity of two perspectives as to how managers evaluate subordinates who resist downward influence attempts: a uniformly dysfunctional perspective (i.e., managers regard all manifestations of resistance as indicators of ineffective influence and rate subordinates unfavorably when they resist) and a multifunctional perspective (i.e., managers regard some manifestations of resistance as more constructive than others and rate subordinates more favorably when they employ constructive resistance tactics). The results of two studies provided support for an interactive model, which predicts that the uniformly dysfunctional perspective is characteristic of lower quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships and that the multifunctional perspective is characteristic of higher quality leader-member exchanges.
The Impact of Strategic Persistence on Executive Compensation
Authors: Grossman Wayne , Cannella Albert A.
Published: March 2006

This study investigates whether different participants in corporate governance reward strategic persistence through executive compensation. Internal participants (inside directors, CEOs/ chairs, and corporate officers who own a significant proportion of company stock) are expected to favor stability and therefore reward persistence, whereas external participants (large block shareholders) are predicted to favor change and therefore penalize persistence. Results suggest that the presence of CEOs/chairs leads to rewarding strategic persistence with total compensation. Inside directors also appear to reward persistence with fixed compensation. Large external shareholders,contrary to expectations, seem to reward persistence with higher levels of fixed compensation.
Managing Uncertainty in a Formal Standards-Based Industry: A Real Options Perspective on Acquisition Timing
Authors: Warner Alfred G. , Fairbank James F. , Steensma H. Kevin
Published: March 2006

Scholars have theorized that firms can intervene in the creation of formal technology standards to reduce uncertainty and influence the outcome to their advantage. One approach is through early acquisition: Firms can acquire targets with relevant technology prior to standardization. Using real options logic, the authors show how early acquisitions can be considered a growth option under certain circumstances. They find that acquisitions are more likely to occur before the passage of the standard when (a) acquirers lacked relevant technical knowledge, (b) target firms possessed relevant technical knowledge,and (c) acquirers had a prior equity investment in the target firm.
Rawls as a critical theorist
Authors: Ron Amit
Published: March 2006

An interpretation of John Rawls’ ‘justice as fairness’ as a deliberative critical argumentative strategy for evaluating existing institutions is offered and its plausibility is discussed. I argue that ‘justice as fairness’ aims at synthesizing the moral values claimed byexisting social institutions into a coherent model of a well-ordered society in order to demand that these institutions stand up tothe values that they promise. Understood in such a way, ‘justice as fairness’ provides a set of idealizing ‘mirrors’ through which power dynamics in society can be viewed but does not function as a model for an ideal society.
Laws, passion, and the attractions of right action in Montesquieu
Authors: Krause Sharon R.
Published: March 2006

This article examines Montesquieu's concept of natural law and treatment of legal customs in conjunction with his theory of moral psychology. It explores his effort to entwine the rational procedural quality of laws with the substantive principles that sustain them. Montesquieu grounds natural law in the desires of the human being as ‘a feeling creature’, thus establishing the normative force of desire and making right action attractive by engaging the passions rather than subordinating them to reason. As a result, natural law generates both political norms and the motivations that drive political actions. It provides a standard for assessing the ostensibly jumbled multiplicity of legal customs in human societies. And it reminds us that there is more to political theory than the rational justifi-cation of norms, that central to any account of liberal constitutionalism must be an effort to show the attractions – and not only the justice or the rationality – of right action.
Agonism in divided societies
Authors: Schaap Andrew
Published: March 2006

This article considers how reconciliation might be understood as a democratic undertaking. It does so by examining the implications of the debate between theorists of ‘deliberative’ and ‘agonistic’ democracy for the practice of democracy in divided societies. I argue that, in taking consensus as a regulative idea, deliberative democracy tends to conflate moral and political community thereby representing conflict as already communal. In contrast, an agonistic theory of democracy provides a critical perspective from which to discern what is at stake in the politicsof reconciliation since it understands community as a contingent achievement of political action. As such, an agonistic account of democracy suggests the possibility of retrieving the concept of reconciliation from a statesanctioned project of nation-building for a democratic politics centred on the possibilities of self-determination and solidarity among citizens divided by a history of state violence.
The Effect of Interscholastic Sports Participation on Academic Achievement of Middle Level School Students
Authors: Stephens Larry J. , Schaben Laura A.
Published: March 2006

Eighth graders (N = 136) were divided into two groups: students who had participated in at least one interscholastic sport and were classified as athletes (n = 73), and students who not participated in interscholastic sports and were classified as nonathletes (n = 63). The mean grade point average (GPA) for each group and subgroup was computed and compared by group, subgroup, and sex. There were 6 categoies of sports participation, rangingfiom no sports to 5 sports. As interscholastic sports participation increased, GPAs improved.
Involving Stakeholders in Resolving School Violence
Authors: Leinhardt Anne Marie C. , Willert H. Jeanette
Published: March 2006

This article reports the results of a collaborative project on school violence and safety that was conducted for a partnership that serves 13 school districts in Niagara and Orleans (NY) counties. Focus groups collected information on the nature, extent, awareness, and management of violence in schools from school stakeholders. Recommendations for enhancing building-level leadership by creating more effective channels of communication with the entire educational community are included. This article also provides strategiesfor enlisting support within a community for designing or enhancing effective violence prevention and intervention programs.
Designing Math Labs to Accommodate Advanced Standards and Technology
Authors: Shelly Richard
Published: March 2006

A review of current facility design initiatives is replete with innovative ideas for cutting-edge public schools. Yet most mathematics classrooms appear to retain the traditional 'four walls and a blackboard" design. At the Roanoke Valley Governor's School, wefound such thinking to run contrary to our philosophy and the national goals and standards for mathematics teaching and learning. We designed special spaces for mathematics, drawing directly from current national standards for secondary school mathematics, both to serve our students andfaculty members better to demonstrate the type of innovation that would be transferable to traditional high school settings. As a result, we no longer have mathematics classrooms, only mathematics laboratories.
Is High-Stakes Testing Harming Lower Socioeconomic Status Schools?
Authors: Cunningham William G. , Sanzo Tiffany D.
Published: March 2006

This study shows a strong relationship between students' state assessment test pass rates and students' socioeconomic status (SES). State sanctions based on assessment scores can affect graduation, student diplomas, school accreditation, schoolfunding, teacher rewards and promotion, paperwork requirements, regulations, work expectations, improvement plans, and even real estate values. Voters must not endorse legislation and policy that penalize low SES communities and their constituency.
Real Kids, Real Risks: Effective Instruction of Students at Risk of Failure
Authors: Day Scott L.
Published: March 2006

Despite a decade of research on students at risk offailure, some educators have not altered their classrooms and teaching practice and so continue to encounter difficulties in teaching those students most at risk offailure. This case study of at-risk students in grade 8 examined perceptions about learning in a nonstandard classroom. A "technology lab" was designed around three research-based approaches to the educational environment: cooperative group work, authentic tasks and assessments, and appropriate use of technology. Researchers gathered input about the learning experiences provided by this facility. Responses show that students feel more motivated to learn, receive better grades, and accept more responsibility for their work in the lab environment.
Beyond Interdisciplinary Teaming: Findings and Implications of the NASSP National Middle Level Study
Authors: Hackmann Donald G. , Petzko Vicki N. , Valentine Jerry W. , Clark Donald C. , Nori John R. , Lucas Stephen E.
Published: March 2006

This article reports trends and implications of interdisciplinary teaming practices in middle level schools, based on findingsfrom a national survey. Noting that nearly 80% of schools currently implement teaming the authors challenge principals and teachers to move beyond the simple formation of teams to the creation of an infrastructure that supports highperforming teams and thereby promotes improved student achievement.
The Changing Role of the Secondary Principal
Authors: Goodwin Rebecca H. , Cunningham Michael L. , Childress Ronald
Published: March 2006

This article discusses the current role of the principal, how the role has changed, and how it should change. It also suggests that the principal shortage is an unintended consequence of these changes. In a national study, practitioners identified 45 descriptors of the principal's role. The analysis of the descriptors revealed four themes: role conflict, accountability conflict, autonomy conflict, and responsibility conflict.
Secondary Principals' Salaries: A National, Longitudinal Study
Authors: Poppink Sue , Shen Jianping
Published: March 2006

An analysis of secondary principals' salaries between 1987-1988 and 1999-2000 was conducted to determine trends in salaries, contrast those trends to others' earnings, and examine the variations in urban, suburban, and rural labor markets, states, and gender. Findings provide useful data for various stakeholders when entering discussion about policies related to the secondary principalship.
Teacher Quality: Beyond No Child Left Behind. A Response to Kaplan and Owings (2002)
Authors: Rotherham Andrew J. , Mead Sara
Published: March 2006

Because there is no overall teacher shortage, but rather specific subject area shortages and an adverse selection and allocation problem, the No Child Left Behind Act's requirement that all teachers be "highly qualified " is important and attainable. To improve teacher quality, principals should be given more flexibility and control over teacher hiring and compensation.
Analyzing Lists of the Characteristics of Effective Professional Development to Promote Visionary Leadership
Authors: Guskey Thomas R.
Published: March 2006

In recent years, different researchers and research agencies, teacher associations, national education organizations, and the U.S. Department of Education have published lists of the characteristics of effective professional development to guide school leaders in their improvement efforts. This study analyzed 13 of the better known of these lists to determine whether they were derived through similar procedures, based on similar frames of reference, and included the same elements or characteristics. Results show that individual characteristics vary widely in their frequency of inclusion in the lists and that no characteristic is consistently named in all lists. In addition, research evidence supporting most of the identfied characteristics is inconsistent and often contradictory. Implications for leaders interested in improving professional development activities are discussed, as well as ways to enhance efforts to identify the characteristics of effective professional development.
The Role of Shared Values and Vision in Creating Professional Learning Communities
Authors: Huffman Jane
Published: March 2006

Defining a vision based on shared values is a crucial step that administrators must consider as they lead their schools through reform efforts. This article reports findings from a national study of creating professional learning communities in schools and how an organizationalframework helped to explain vision development in 18 schools. Recommendations for principals to provide support to faculty members are offered.
Induction Programs That Keep New Teachers Teaching and Improving
Authors: Wong Harry K.
Published: March 2006

This article features schools and school districts with successful induction programs, all easily replicable. Increasingly, research confirms that teacher and teaching quality are the most powerful predictors of student success. In short, principals ensure higher student achievement by assuring better teaching. To do this, effective administrators have a new teacher induction program available for all newly hired teachers, which then seamlessly becomes part of the lifelong, sustained professional development program for the district or school. What keeps a good teacher are structured, sustained, intensive professional development programs that allow new teachers to observe others, to be observed by others, and to be part of networks or study groups where all teachers share together, grow together, and learn to respect each other's work.
Tutoring Solutions for No Child Left Behind: Research, Practice, and Policy Implications
Authors: Gordon Edward E. , Morgan Ronald R. , Ponticell Judith A. , O'Malley Charles J.
Published: March 2006

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is structured to encourage partnerships between K-12 schools and a wide variety of community tutoring and educational service organizations. Tutoring is a form of education with a long history and can be an important component in improving student achievement. There is a considerable body of literature on tutoring, but much of it is mainly descriptive in nature. Some important researched-based studies are analyzed here, but clearly many more studies of this type are needed for tutoring to make a substantial contribution to NCLB.
Findings and Implications of the NASSP National Study of Leadership in Middle Level Schools, Volumes I and II: Teachers in Middle Level Schools
Authors: Petzko Vicki N.
Published: March 2006

This article examines and compares teachers in a national sample of middle level schools to those in a selected group of highly successful middle level schools. The context within which they work, their preparation, their level of implementation of middle level best practices, and their involvement as teacher leaders are discussed. Results show some similarities, as well as some distinct and important differences in the two sets of teachers. Recommendations are made for teacher preparation programs as well as inservice professional development programs which can increase teacher effectiveness and are consistent with the expectations of No Child Left Behind.
Research on School Teacher Evaluation
Authors: Peterson Kenneth
Published: March 2006

Research literature highlights the principal as central to teacher evaluation. However, principal reports do not provide adequate information to document teacher quality. Good teacher evaluation adds multiple data sources such as client surveys, peer reviews of matenials, and pupil achievement data, which vary by teacher and setting. Principals should become knowledgeable about pupil gain data, costs of evaluation, sociology of teacher evaluation, and the problem of the bad teacher. Teacher evaluation can reassure external audiences that schools are doing a good job.
Slow Learners: Are Educators Leaving Them Behind?
Authors: Kaznowski Kimberly
Published: March 2006

This study compared the school performance of a sample of slow learners who qualified for special education as learning disabled with a sample of slow learners who did not qualifyfor special education. The intent of the study was to determine which group of slow learners was more successful in school in order to know if special education or regular education is the most beneficial educational "placement" for the slow learner Findings suggest that neither group of slow learners is successful in school; both are doing remarkably poorly. Given this outcome, it is imperative that educators find the courage to acknowledge the plight of slow learners. Educational alternatives are required to prevent slow learners from continuing to fall through the cracks.
School's Out: Voices From Graduating Seniors Who Choose Not to Immediately Pursue Additional Education
Authors: Bruckner M. Martha , Barnes Paul E. , Schulte Laura
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this study was to illustrate specific factors that influenced graduating high school seniors not to immediately pursue additional education. A 13-item survey was developed to determine student and parental satisfaction with aspects of this decision and tofurther explore influentialfactors. Participants included students and parents representingfive schools in the Midwest. Results are shared pertaining to student and parental perceptions offactors associated with school experiences andfactors unique to their lives outside of school.
Teaching Methods for Secondary Algebra: A Meta-Analysis of Findings
Authors: Haas Matthew
Published: March 2006

Algebra student achievement has become a matterfor increasedfocus in recent years, as educators answer calls for reform, including the standards documents of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the No Child Left Behind mandates. A meta-analysis of 35 independent experimental studies shows that six teaching method categories have positive effects on student achievement in the secondary-algebra classroom. Teaching method categories are defined and ranked according to their effect sizes. Recommendations for practitioners are provided.
A Survey of Factors Influencing High School StartTimes
Authors: Wolfson Amy R. , Carskadon Mary A.
Published: March 2006

The present study surveyed high school personnel regarding high school start times, factors influencing school start times, and decision making around school schedules. Surveys were analyzedfrom 345 secondary schools selected at random from the National Center for Educational Statistics database. Factors affecting reported start times included economic background of the students, number of bus tiers, and school size. Most schools had not contemplated changing or changed their school start times. Of those schools in which changes were contemplated, 32% noted concerns about teenagers' sleep needs and about 50% of the respondents endorsed possible positive outcomes, such as lower tardiness and absenteeism rates. Perceived barriers to changing school schedules commonly endorsed included sports practices, after-school activities, and the transportation system. Approximately 50% of respondents indicated that sleep is included in their district's high school health or biology course offerings.
Effects of Learning-Style-Based Homework Prescriptions on the Achievement and Attitudes of Middle School Students
Authors: Minotti Jennifer Lauria
Published: March 2006

This research was designed to examine the effects of the use of individualized, learning-style based homework prescriptions on the achievement and attitudes of middle level students. Sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students from an urban, parochial school in New York City were provided either learning-style-based homework prescriptions or guidelines for traditional study strategies. Each group demonstrated increased levels of achievement in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies and higher attitude-test scores after treatment. However, the students in the experimental group who used individualized learning-style-based homework prescriptions clearly showed larger gains.
Action Research as Instructional Supervision: Suggestions for Principals
Authors: Glanz Jeffrey
Published: March 2006

Supervision based on collaboration, participative decision making, and reflective practice is the hallmark of a viable school improvement program that is designed to promote teaching and learning. Action research has gradually emerged as an important form of instructional supervision to engage teachers in reflective practice about their teaching and to examinefactors that aim to promote student achievement. This article examines supervision as it has evolved and moved toward action research advocacy and presents two case studies that show how action research improves teaching and learning. Practical guidelines for implementing action research as instructional improvement are provided for principals.
Professional School Counselors: Inservice Providers Who tan Change the School Environment
Authors: Kern Carolyn W.
Published: March 2006

Professional school counselors can have a significant effect on a school's environment. The skills and knowledge they possess can be shared with teachers and students. Through inservice training opportunities for teachers and classroom activities with students, counselors can develop a more positive environment for student learning and growth.
Coming of Age: Developmental Norms of the Adolescent Years
Authors: Glover Rebecca J.
Published: March 2006

For years the period of adolescence has been widely believed to be one of inherent “storm and stress,” greatly unpredictable and something to be endured. More recently, however, research has failed to bear this out, finding this view to be representative of only a minority of youth. For most, adolescence represents a period of transitions that guide the search for self and prepare the adolescent for his or her role in the adult world.
Learning Communities in Classrooms: Advancing Knowledge For a Lifetime
Authors: Bielaczyc Katerine , Collins Allan
Published: March 2006

The learning-communities approach fits with the growing emphasis on lifelong learning, which can naturally be extended beyond the classroom walls. There is every reason for a learning community to include parents and members of the wider society. With the addition of computer networks it becomes possible to include scientists and other professionals, as well as students around the globe, in communities that are trying to understand and deal with social and political ideas and issues.
Schools as Learning Organizations: How Can the Work of Teachers Be Both Teaching and Learning?
Authors: Zederayko Glenn E. , Ward Kelly
Published: March 2006

Improvements in student learning depend on what teachers know and what they do in their classrooms. To improve student learning, schools must develop ways to pursue the ideal of the learning organization and give teachers the opportunity to learn and develop in a regular, ongoing manner.
The Process of the Learning Organization: Making Sense of Change
Authors: Bierema Laura L.
Published: March 2006

The learning organization process challenges employees and communities to use their collective intelligence, ability to learn, and creativity to transform existing systems. It helps people connect with each other, their work, and their community. It is not a program, but rather a new process for understanding and learning together.
Sculpting the Learning Community: New Forms of Working and Organizing
Authors: Watkins Karen E. , Marsick Victoria J.
Published: March 2006

Schools are communities in which learning is supposed to take place, but they do not always function well as learning communities. The hope for the future is to enhance the likelihood that schools will be designed and run for the kind of learning that is needed in the 21st century, which will surely move far beyond the current knowledge era.
What Do We Do After the School has Been Wired? Providing Intellectual Access to Digital Resources
Authors: Neuman Delia
Published: March 2006

What happens after the physical artifacts of the Information Age are in place and the press and the “Net Day” volunteers have gone home? Once a school has achieved physical access to the world's information resources, how does the school community use these resources to work and to learn? What factors are involved in gaining intellectual access to the information products that are now so readily available in our schools? And how can we ensure that our students' minds as well as their fingers master the promise of our age?
Growing High School Reform: Planting the Seeds of Systemic Change
Authors: Clarke John H.
Published: March 2006

System change becomes possible when individuals with different roles—students, teachers, school administrators, and policymakers—interact around a shared concern for student learning. A study of systemic change in five Vermont high schools suggests that change must grow from seeds already planted in different high schools, fed by a constant flow of human energy interacting across all levels of school organization.
The Administrative Contract: Implications for Reform
Authors: Murray Kenneth T. , Murray Barbara A.
Published: March 2006

While most public school principals and superintendents must be awarded annual or multi-year employment contracts by their school districts, such contracts offer little protection from reassignment to a lesser position or even from dismissal. Inadequate remedies for breach of employment contracts subject school administrators to working solely at the pleasure of their school boards.
Political Forces in Education: Bri ht Pros ects in the Shift to Systemic Reform
Authors: Loup Karen S. , Blase Jo
Published: March 2006

A retrospective view of the shift from technical to systemic reform seems to indicate an emerging realization of the complexity and comprehensiveness of schools as social organizations. Though still addressing change effects rather than processes, symptoms rather than causes of educational ills, the more systemic view of schools inherent in recently-instituted policies may have set a precedent.
Who Will Lead? The Top 10 Factors That Influence Teachers Moving into Administration
Authors: Cooley Van , Shen Jianping
Published: March 2006

The top 10 factors that influence teachers who are applying for an administrative position describe a complex list of “wants and needs” for this new generation of school leaders. A study strongly suggests that organizational relationships, more than any other factors, affect a teacher's willingness to seek an administrative position in a particular district.
Shared Governance Principals: The Inner Experience
Authors: Blase Jo , Blase Joseph
Published: March 2006

Today's principal operates in a climate of school restructuring and reform wherein bureaucratic structures are fast giving way to collaborative endeavors among groups of education professionals. But letting go of old roles and power while being accountable for decisions made by others can be challenging and stressful.
I'm OK, Are You Y2K OK?
Authors: Wilson Thomas F.
Published: March 2006

What can schools do to inoculate themselves against the bite of the dreaded Y2K Bug? Which of your systems and your equipment will be affected? Should you start to stockpile slates, quill pens, and oil lamps? Probably not, says this author, who offers some practical advice.
Using Technology as a Tool to Enhance Teaching and Learning
Authors: Lowe Michael J. , Vespestad Karen M.
Published: March 2006

Successful school program innovation must incorporate technology as a tool to enhance teaching and learning. West Junior High School integrates technology into the curriculum to complement and enhance its mission to help all learners explore and attain results that only a technology-rich, student-centered learning environment can offer.
Technology Education: Essential for a Balanced Education
Authors: Wright R. Thomas
Published: March 2006

In its broadest sense, technology is all the knowledge and actions that people use to create the human-built world. The products of technology can be as simple as a paper clip or as complex as a spaceship; as essential as a dwelling or as frivolous as a firecracker.
Technology Education in the Middle Level School: Its Role and Purpose
Authors: Sanders Mark E.
Published: March 2006

The curriculum and method of technology education remain one of the best-kept secrets in all education. Technology education engages students in a wide range of the very latest technologies: digital imaging, lasers, robotics, solar energy, World Wide Web development, magnetic levitation vehicles, analog and digital electronics, flight simulators, computer-aided design, and so forth.
Putting Technology Education Standards into Practice
Authors: Dugger William E.
Published: March 2006

Educational reform in the United States today is based on a nationwide movement focused on standards. How these national and state standards influence local classroom learning, achievement, and assessment is of great importance to a myriad of educators, business and community leaders, and government officials.
What Makes Principals Feel Successful?
Authors: Donaldson Gordon A. , Hausman Charles
Published: March 2006

The question, “Who feels successful as a principal?” and its partner, “What makes some principals feel more successful than others?” beg for answers. This study of 434 Maine school principals provides a prime opportunity to examine the questions.
It's Never Too Late! What Neuroscience Has To Offer High Schools
Authors: Greenleaf Robert K.
Published: March 2006

Decades of educational banners have promoted “Early childhood,” “Prevention,” “Critical periods of development,” and a host of other phrases that have focused the resources of dollars, programs, and time on the youngest of our charges in public schools. It it really too late by the time youngsters get to high school? Don't bet your neurons on it!
It's Time for Schools To Implement Character Education
Authors: Schaeffer Esther F.
Published: March 2006

Character education can provide our nation's youth with the information and skills they need to mature into ethical and virtuous people. Do we want a youth population that does not bring guns to school because of an armed guard and metal detector at the door? Or do we want a youth population that does not bring guns to school because it goes against their intrinsic nature?
Character Education: An Essential Ingredient for Youth Leadership Development
Authors: Fertman Carl I. , van Linden Josephine A.
Published: March 2006

Character education in schools involves formal instruction in honesty, trust, cooperation, respect, responsibility, hope, determination, and loyalty; it also lays the foundation for positive leadership development. The values mentioned are important to leaders regardless of their race, religion, economic status, or other defining characteristics, to promote a livable and workable society. For adolescents, positive leadership behavior is character education in action.
Enhancing Character Education Through Experiential Drama and Dialogue
Authors: Krajewski Bob
Published: March 2006

Experiential drama is composed of short skits that address various value areas. Issues are drawn from student experiences and are used in the dramatizations, portraying the actual experiences and incidents. Students develop the scenarios and present them to classes, social agencies, school groups, businesses, churches, etc. Does experiential drama have a place in a character education program?
Community of Caring: A Character Education Program Designed To Integrate Values into a School Community
Authors: Jones Stephen C. , Stoodley Janice
Published: March 2006

Unlike many programs designed to address specific behavioral trends, Community of Caring acknowledges that many facets of a young person's environment affect choice and behavior. Through a total school-community approach, the program attempts to create a caring, respectful school environment that supports students as they develop positive values.