Developments during the decade and a half following the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe indicate broad advancement in civic education for democracy. This digest notes the rising trend in civic education competency in Central and Eastern Europe, describes an increasingly accepted and used framework for civic education, and…

The digest excerpts major points of the report of the Council for Exceptional Children's Ad Hoc Committee to Study and Respond to the 1983 Report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education. The committee also examined the reports of the Education Commission of the States, the Twentieth Century Fund, and the Carnegie Council. General…

An overview is provided, examining the types of associate degrees that are awarded, the number that are awarded, the students who receive them, and the problems related to associate degree curricula. First, a list is provided of the different types of associate degrees awarded, followed by an enumeration of the vocational and non-vocational…

Since the 1920s, the focus of adult education has shifted from social change to professionalization to an emphasis on literacy and lifelong learning in a changing workplace. The adult education literature reflects ongoing debate over whether adult education should focus primarily on individuals or society and whether it should serve as a means of…

Calculus has become the center of a heated debate within the mathematics community. There are those who question the very centrality of calculus in the mathematics curriculum. Evidence indicates that many current calculus courses are not serving students well. In addition, computers and advanced calculators can now do many of the manipulations…

This digest discusses demographic, technological and other factors influencing adult career development and describes new career services, assessment instruments, and interventions for adults. Problems with research in the area of adult career development are noted. (MCF)

A goal adopted at the 1990 Education Summit in Charlottesville, Virginia, aims to increase the high school graduation rate to 90 percent by the year 2000. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports three types of dropout rates: (1) event rates report the percentage of students who left high school without finishing work toward a…

This digest identifies characteristics of successful higher education programs in environmental studies and trends in environmental studies programs and courses. Characteristics of programs that have continued for the past two decades are listed. Some of the variables associated with programs that have not continued are identified. Recent trends…

College students are leaving their higher education institutions with more educational loan debt than ever before. From academic year 1994-1997 to 1999-2000, the amount postsecondary education students borrowed through federal student loan programs jumped from $24 billion to $33.7 billion, and total debt for borrowers who received master's and…

This ERIC Digest explores the need for improvement in geography education in the United States, based on concern expressed by geography professors across the United States and findings from a number of recent state, national, and international polls and studies showing that many students leave high school illiterate in geography. A section…

The Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI) is a semi-direct performance-based speaking test that emulates the face-to-face Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) as closely as practical, using a tape recording and printed test booklet. The prototypical SOPI contains simple personal background questions typical of an initial encounter (warm-up) and…

As school populations decline and costs rise due to inflation, rural and small schools are turning to shared services in order to keep community schools open, meet federal mandates, and improve educational opportunities. Sharing ventures may be for limited purposes, such as sharing a physics teacher or having a joint drama production, or for more…

Noting that the emphasis in writing instruction over the past 40 years has shifted from product to process, this digest reviews the course and the primary features of this evolution from 1960-1999. The digest's first section discusses the move from writing product to writing process in the 1970s and 1980s, noting the groundswell of support for…

Although the ERIC database includes descriptions of documents containing education statistics, it is not designed to provide answers to specific statistical questions. The single best alternative source for statistics regarding all aspects of education and literacy is the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department…

This digest identifies selected sources of materials for environmental education. Included are: the Educational Resources Information Center; the United States Environmental Protection Agency; the Public Broadcasting System; the National Wildlife Federation; and the National Science Teachers Association. References and reviews of print,…