This study explores the common barriers and shared visions for creating access to archival collections held by libraries at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). One of few reports that document the needs of HBCU libraries as they relate to archives and special collections. It is based on a series of online focus groups that author…

For the last 11 years, Angela Lee Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania has been conducting ground breaking studies on "grit"--the quality that enables individuals to work hard and stick to their long-term passions and goals. In this interview with "Educational Leadership," Duckworth describes what her research has shown…

In a time of transformation in higher education, "Leading Change: How Boards and Presidents Build Exceptional Institutions" fills a significant void in leadership literature and focuses on the changing level of board engagement. This book examines 18 institutions, across the spectrum of higher education, at which the board played a…

Prior studies have found that youth reporting a general sense that "I have a purpose" also describe having social supports that enhance thriving. This study links "specific" social supports to "specific" purposes described by youth. We examined whether developmental level, social-structural supports of gender and…

Annually, ACT provides a snapshot of the college and career readiness of ACT-tested high school graduates. This report is offered as a service to inform policymakers and practitioners about selected indicators of effectiveness and how that translates into readiness. It is designed to stimulate discussion, inquiry, and action. This report for the…

THE EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL CAREER ORIENTATIONS OF YOUTH AND THE EFFECT OF ECONOMIC DISPARITIES ON THEIR CHOICES WERE STUDIED. A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS CONSTRUCTED, VALIDATED, AND ADMINISTERED TO 3,047 SECONDARY SCHOOL SOPHOMORE MALES IN 6 THIRD-CLASS CITIES. ONE-HALF OF THE CITIES WERE ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS. THE OTHER THREE WERE…

In 2004, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania contracted with Pennsylvania State University to begin a longitudinal study of rural Pennsylvania school students to understand their future aspirations, the factors influencing these aspirations, whether their plans change as they age, and if they attain their goals and plans. The main research questions…

To identify some major differences among low-income farmers, and delineate that group representing the real core of the persistently poor, data were obtained from 189 farm operators representing a stratified random sample in Fayette County, Pennsylvania in 1957. The five main categories of individuals identified were: (1) the aged, (2) the…

Students at seven junior colleges in southwestern Pennsylvania were studied to determine their reasons for choosing a particular college and whether college attendance helped them realize their goals. Results from 261 student questionnaires were categorized and analyzed by individual campus, sex, and type of program--whether terminal or transfer.…

THE CHILDREN'S FORM OF THE TAYLOR MANIFEST ANXIETY TEST WAS USED TO DIVIDE FIFTH-GRADE MALE STUDENTS INTO HIGH AND LOW ANXIETY GROUPS IN ORDER TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS OF ANXIETY AND COMPETITION UPON PERFORMANCE. A 2-WAY ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE WAS USED (120 SUBJECTS) TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF THE PRESENCE OF PEERS UPON THE PERFORMANCE OF MEMBERS OF…

THE PROBLEM OF THIS LONGITUDINAL STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY THE COGNITIVE PROCESSES WHICH ARE INVOLVED IN CAREER DECISION-MAKING AND THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THESE PROCESSES ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT. AREAS OF CONCERN WERE (1) IDENTIFICATION OF STRATEGIES BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL CAN OVERCOME DECISION-MAKING DIFFICULTY, (2) ASSESSMENT OF THE SHORT-TERM…

QUESTIONNAIRE DATA WERE USED TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ADOLESCENT EDUCATIONAL EXPECTIONS (DEPENDENT VARIABLE) AND PATERNAL EDUCATION, FAMILY SOCIAL STATUS, PARENTAL EDUCATIONAL PRESSURE, AND FAMILY SIZE (INDEPENDENT OF PREDICTOR VARIABLES). THE DATA WERE GATHERED FROM 2,852 MALE SOPHOMORES (HIGH SCHOOL), LIVING IN SIX MIDDLE-SIZE…

This report examines the factors that influence the postsecondary enrollment and persistence of rural Pennsylvania students, compared to students from urban and suburban areas. The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 provided data on 216 rural, 103 urban, and 323 suburban high school graduates from Pennsylvania. Depending on their status…

"This study was designed to assess the behavioral characteristics, goals, and attitudes of adolescent high school students attending the school in Western County, Pennsylvania, in the region designated as Appalachia. The two towns were chosen because of the apparent differences in socioeconomic level, social activities, and occupations of…

The majority of employment and training programs are designed as one-size-fits-all, leaving approximately 85 percent of participants unsatisfied, unmotivated, or forced back into a job with no chance of advancement. In targeting a clientele of single parents and dislocated workers, an action research project, called Chance to Advance, conducted in…