Publication on Grant Writing Strategies
Patrick W. Miller, Ph.D., has worked as a director of grants and contracts, proposal manager and contract administrator, and he served as national grant reviewer and panel leader for the U.S. Department of Education. He is also a 30-year member of ACTE whose revised and updated publication on grant writing was recently released.
Grant Writing: Strategies for Developing Winning Proposals, 2nd Edition has eight chapters?from funding sources to postsubmission activities?and includes more than 75 examples. Miller also provides review questions and answers as well as exercises on proposal writing and budget development. The exercises were developed to assist both new and experienced grant writers. Also included are helpful resources and websites and a glossary of terms for quick reference.
Serving as a step-by-step guide, the book walks grant seekers through the six fundamental phases of proposal development that are usually followed by successful funding recipients.
?The intent of this book is to help grant seekers win competitive grants,? says Miller. ?Individuals seeking private and foundation funds will also find the techniques in this book useful.?
For more information, visit www.pwmilleronline.com.
Fiber Optic Training for Teachers
The Fiber Optic Association (FOA) now offers a train-the-trainer program for teachers and instructors that leads to a new certification for fiber optic instructors. The initial program was held in July at Northern Kentucky Technical College, and at least four programs are planned for 2003.
Developed by professors John Highhouse of Lincoln Trail College and Tom Collins of Northern Kentucky Technical College, with assistance from the FOA Board of Technical Advisors, the FOA train-the-trainer program prepares instructors for creating and teaching hands-on courses for fiber optic technician training and lab courses for university-level programs. It includes both classroom and hands-on laboratory sessions. According to the FOA, the program is appropriate for instructors at companies or professional training organizations and educators from universities to technical high schools.
Jim Hayes, president and co-founder of the organization, notes that, while the FOA was founded on the basis of education, it is not a training organization itself. However, says Hayes, ?With our new Train-The-Trainer program, we are working to alleviate the shortage of qualified instructors in fiber optics and offer experienced instructors the opportunity to become a CFOI?Certified Fiber Optic Instructor.?
For more information, visit www.TheFOA.org.
Can Distance Learning Improve Teaching Effectiveness?
According to a recent research study released by Canter & Associates, the answer to that question is yes.
The study found that teachers who had enrolled in a distance learning master?s degree program experienced a significant improvement in their teaching effectiveness in eight areas tied to student achievement. In a comparison to graduates from traditional on-campus master?s degree programs, the distance-learning graduates scored higher in all eight areas.
The results were based on a volunteer sample of 59 classroom teachers in 24 New Jersey schools. The eight areas of teacher performance evaluated were: teacher beliefs and expectations; classroom management; engagement and motivation of students; repertoire of teaching strategies; teaching to multiple intelligences; students with special needs and gender equity; parent involvement and communication; and student assessment.
Canter & Associates is a division of Sylvan Learning Systems that provides training to educators via distance learning, onsite instruction and resource books. An executive summary of the study can be downloaded at http://www.canter.net/content/index.cfm?wid=6&pid=6.
