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Changing immigration patterns in the USA have led to a growing number of “new immigrant destinations.” In these contexts, opportunities for teacher learning are crucial for developing the school capacity to serve the academic, linguistic and socio-cultural needs of immigrant students. In response, the purpose of this paper is to examine how schools in Wisconsin provided both formal and informal teacher learning opportunities to develop the instructional capacity to support recent immigrants, specifically Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs).

Using descriptive analyses of teacher and administrator survey and interview data, this study examined the focus and within-school distribution of formal professional development, as well as teacher collaboration as a mechanism for informal learning.

Most commonly, professional development focused on concrete strategies teachers might enact in their classrooms, rather than developing broader understandings of the needs of immigrant students. In addition, formal professional development commonly targeted particular groups of teachers, rather than faculty as a whole. Finally, general education-ELL teacher collaboration was most often deployed “as needed” and focused on particular student needs, rather than systematically.

Future work might address the limitations of this study by examining teacher learning opportunities in new immigrant destinations in other locales, the quality and effectiveness of such opportunities, and other mechanisms for the distribution of expertise.

Findings suggest the need for more systematic and integrated approaches to teacher learning in new immigrant destinations, with an emphasis on pushing beyond the short-term need for instructional strategies to develop more holistic, collaborative approaches to integrating ELLs into schools and classrooms.

Previous researchers (eg. Libby, 1976 and Salamon et al., 1976) have proposed three alternative strategies for improving decisions: (1) changing the information set; (2) replacing the decision maker with a model; and (3) training the user (e.g. with the use of feedback information). The present research focusses on the role of feedback in the prediction of corporate failure. The effect of various types of feedback on human judgments is examined in the present study in two ways. The first section of the paper extends Kessler and Ashton's (1981) study which looked at the impact of several alternative types of feedback. Using 173 advanced undergraduate students as subjects, we find that, contrary to general expectations, both task properties and lens model feedback are not effective for decisions taken within a financial accounting context. Several possible explanations are given for this result. The second section of the paper examines the effect of outcome feedback within a financial accounting context. The participants in this study were 40 advanced undergraduate students. We found that outcome feedback is an effective means for promoting learning even where the task is not highly predictable.

The information which has hitherto appeared in the daily press as to the evidence laid before the Departmental Committee which is inquiring into the use of preservatives and colouring matters can hardly have afforded pleasant reading to the apologists for the drugging of foods. It is plainly the intention of the Committee to make a thorough investigation of the whole subject, and the main conclusions which, in the result, must bo forced upon unbiassed persons by an investigation of this character will be tolerably obvious to those who have given serious attention to the subject. At a later stage of the inquiry we shall publish a full account of the evidence submitted and of the Committee's proceedings. At present we may observe that the facts which have been brought forward fully confirm the statements made from time to time upon these matters in the BRITISH FOOD JOURNAL, and amply justify the attitude which we have adopted on the whole question. Representatives of various trade interests have given evidence which has served to show the extent to which the practices now being inquired into are followed. Strong medical evidence, as to the dangers which must attach to the promiscuous and unacknowledged drugging of the public by more or less ignorant persons, has been given; and some medical evidence of that apologetic order to which the public have of late become accustomed, and which we, at any rate, regard as particularly feeble, has also been put forward. Much more will no doubt be said, but those who have borne the heat and burden of the day in forcing these matters upon the attention of the Legislature and of the public can view with satisfaction the result already attained. Full and free investigation must produce its educational effect ; and whatever legal machinery may be devised to put some kind of check upon these most dangerous forms of adulteration, the demand of the public will be for undrugged food, and for a guarantee of sufficient authority to ensure that the demand is met.

The increasing use of computers as information storage devices is leading more and more publishers, data and information providers to use electronic interactive information systems (IIS) as the delivery medium for their information. These new technologies are being used in place of conventional sources such as paper and books. Further developments in the information field, such as the availability of information through telecommunications technologies and the information superhighway, are destined to increase the application and use of IIS as standard information services. Electronic and interactive information systems differ considerably from their conventional counterparts. There are many new and unique features with which the naive IIS user must contend. This paper reports on research conducted among naive users of IIS which has found significant limitations in the ways in which these users are able to access and retrieve information from electronic sources. Despite skills and knowledge in use of conventional information sources, and guided instruction, naive users of IIS were found to experience many difficulties when interacting with IIS. This paper discusses some of the problems facing naive users and suggests the need for teaching and learning within schools to address specifically information retrieval and access from electronic systems. The paper indicates key content areas that need to be considered and covered.