This report describes the processes undertaken to revise the IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction (SRI) system. The previous revision occurred in 1999, as described in IDEA Technical Report No. 11, "Revising the IDEA System for Obtaining Student Ratings of Instructors and Courses" (Hoyt, Chen, Pallett, & Gross, 1999). The procedures…

Anxiety has been shown to have detrimental effects on students in the classroom. This study examined the relations between motivational variables and anxiety. In particular, this study utilized goal orientation theory to examine whether the personal goals a student adopts and the goal structures a student perceives in the classroom are predictors…

When parents or policy-makers are asked to describe an excellent education, they often describe in fairly abstract terms the presence of a rich curriculum with highly qualified teachers, outstanding school resources and extensive educational opportunities. Nevertheless, excellent inputs to education provide no guarantee for excellent outcomes. To…

Using the trichotomous framework of achievement goals, in the present study I investigated the effects of different combinations of achievement goals on Taiwanese sixth graders' motivation, strategy use, and performance. 242 students completed a self-report survey assessing their achievement goal orientations and a range of outcomes including…

Most college graduates who participate in postsecondary vocational or technical education programs enroll in order to prepare for a new career, according to a study of 187 students in three Vocational Technical Adult Education (VTAE) districts in Wisconsin. Through 172 written questionnaires and 15 personal interviews, most students indicated that…

This report presents the results of a survey at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) (Kansas), conducted to determine new students' educational objectives and what factors influenced their decisions to attend JCCC. Questions were also asked about new students' preferences for various media in order to provide information for the college's…

As part of an effort to determine causes for student attrition, Virginia's Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC) conducted a study of 327 students in credit English courses in fall 1993. Students were administered a modified version of the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire, which included 16 additional questions developed by…

Each fall, Gateway Community-Technical College (GCTC), in Connecticut, surveys new students to ascertain academic and career plans, employment status, goals, and factors that influenced their selection of GCTC. This report presents comparative results from surveys conducted in fall 1990, 1992, and 1993 and includes the following data: (1) from…

A study examined the participation of ordained ministers in continuing education. Of some 5,400 questionnaires mailed to ministers of 12 Protestant denominations who lived throughout the United States and Canada, 1,984 usable responses were returned. Based on these responses, it would appear that the typical survey respondent was a 45-year-old…

In 1991, a study was conducted to determine which student characteristics contributed to success and progression through the English skills course sequence at Sacramento City College. The 371 students in the study were enrolled in selected remedial/developmental English classes or in College Composition (English 1A) at the beginning of spring…

The relationships between middle school students' multiple motivational goal orientations and their use of multiple cognitive and metacognitive strategies were studied with a focus on relations between these motivational and cognitive variables and students' academic achievement in two curriculum areas. Participants were 602 middle school students…

This report gathers national data on trends and participation in continuing higher education. Charts are derived from data collected by the National University Continuing Education Association (NUCEA), as well as by government and private organizations. The five sections of the report contain data on factors leading to growth in continuing higher…

A survey of the 2,005 Fall, 1979, entering students at Kapiolani Community College (KCC) was conducted to determine: (1) reasons for attending college, (2) educational and vocational goals, (3) work experience, (4) factors which might affect student success, and (5) student perceptions of their academic preparation. The survey, administered via a…

The ideologies, beliefs, and perceived roles of Southeast Asian bilingual teachers working in the Merrimack Valley (Massachusetts) were studied. The focus is on the city of Lowell, where there has been a rapid influx and a large concentration of Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese students of limited English proficiency. Thirteen male and 13…

A study was conducted to determine demographic characteristics, motivation, and program satisfaction of General Educational Development (GED) candidates and adult education (including adult basic education, secondary adult education, and English as a second language) students in Texas. Between June and December 1985, about 6,000 adult education…