Discusses four models of needs analysis: Kaufman's "Needs Assessment," Coffing's "Client Need Assessment," Lee's "Needs-Assessment," and Harless'"Front-End Analysis." A matrix comparing these models is included. (RAO)

Discusses methods of evaluating commercial online databases and provides examples that illustrate their hidden dimensions. Topics addressed include size, including the number of records or the number of titles; the number of years covered; and the frequency of updates. Comparisons of Readers' Guide Abstracts and Magazine Article Summaries are…

Presents evaluations, costs, and availability of three seminars taught by pioneers in the information broker industry: (1) Information Brokers Seminars by Rugge covers topics related to small business management; (2) Public Records Seminars by Burwell emphasizes use of public records information in businesses; (3) Comparative Online Searching…

Presents a buyer's guide to liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors, compares LCD projectors to LCD panels, and reports on some advantages of using LCD projectors for color presentations. Advantages include bulb longevity, support of multimedia, and remote control capability. A sidebar includes LCD projector company contact information, product…

Based on the author's experiences, this article presents approaches to aid in developing interactive presentations. Galaxy and funnel methods offer more room for creativity when compared to metaphors such as step, line, and road models. Highlights include diagrams, personal narratives of advantages, disadvantages, and steps taken in creating an…

An outline is presented for a one-semester course in "people liberation" which can be incorporated into social studies, consumer education, family education, or womens studies programs. Designed for senior high school, the course explores masculine and feminine roles in contemporary American society and helps students understand themselves as…

Although conventional approaches to teaching psychology are probably effective to some degree, it is possible that psychology should be a "hands on" science, i.e., students of psychology should learn to apply the concepts and principles of the theoretical regions of psychology and to solve open-ended problems through the application of…

According to Wales and Stager, Guided Design is an instructional strategy built on an eclectic integration of psychological principles and viewpoints, wbich incorporates the learning principles of practice, modeling, organizations, and reinforcements; capitalizes on the motivational principles of affiliation, achievement and self-actualization;…

In response to federal law requiring teachers to undergo professional development, this article presents and compares five approaches to training school staff. Approaches include training throughout the year; annual one- to three-day training sessions; sending staff to conferences; employing a staff trainer; and monthly video training. (JMV)

The Joint Dissemination Review Panel (JDRP) is a joint USOE-NIE panel which reviews the evidence of effectiveness submitted for a variety of educational products and practices developed through federally supported programs. Studies show that school superintendents and other adopters prefer to initiate changes where there is assurance that benefits…

The model developed by the Computer Based Project for the Evaluation of Media for the Handicapped in Syracuse, New York to evaluate the use of captioned films for the deaf with mentally handicapped and emotionally disturbed children is briefly described, followed by a review of recent research conducted by the project staff. Among the areas which…

The purpose of this guide is to: (1) point out those differences between Black Tai and English which will cause difficulties for the Black Tai-speaking students of English, and (2) outline the most effective ways of helping the student overcome these difficulties. The first section is a contrastive analysis of the phonologies of Black Tai and…

This unit examines four topic areas related to police: rules and enforcement, police discretion, variety of police tasks, and police differences among societies as products of certain social pressures. High-school students learn about the police as an institution that responds to social and historical pressures. Students study police systems in…

This four-week fourth grade social studies unit dealing with religious dimensions in ancient Egyptian culture was developed by the Public Education Religion Studies Center at Wright State University. It seeks to help students understand ancient Egypt by looking at the people, the culture, and the people's world view. The unit begins with outlines…

Fourteen teachers from four California school districts developed this practical guide for teachers faced with a growing number of adult nonliterate students in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs. The guide is organized as follows: student goals and objectives, student characteristics, student identification, classroom activities,…