The laboratory school: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow

• Main Author: Johnson, Wanda F
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Subjects: education, curriculum and instruction; education, history of; education, teacher training
• ISBN: 9780542863714; 0542863715

Laboratory schools have been a fixture of teacher education programs for many decades. They were established in the United States by Dewey to test his theories on education. Over the years, changes in the missions of colleges and universities as well as financial issues have led to the demise of many laboratory schools. The remaining schools must justify their existence.
The purpose of this study was three-fold. First, a comprehensive analysis of the development, growth, and current status of the laboratory school movement was conducted within a review of relevant literature from 1900 to 2005. Next, a survey of laboratory school directors was conducted to assess the status of laboratory schools, examine the changing roles of laboratory schools, and consider the effects of these changes. Surveys were sent to 49 laboratory schools that hold institutional membership in the National Association of Laboratory Schools. Finally, interviews were conducted with the lead administrators of two professional development schools to identify new models or representations of laboratory schools.
The data showed that laboratory schools were originally established for the purposes of testing educational theories and developing innovative practices. Today the primary functions of the schools are clinical teaching experiences, staff development, and curriculum development. The professional development school may be a new model or representation of the laboratory school. According to the data collected, clinical teaching experiences, research, and curriculum development are conducted in the professional development schools that were examined in this study. The major difference between the laboratory schools and professional development schools is the governance structure. Laboratory schools are under the auspices of a college or university, and professional development schools are public schools that are in collaborative partnerships with a college or university.