To test the efficacy of Baby-Think-It-Over (BTIO) infant simulators, two versions of a sexuality education program were compared. While the program was designed to include BTIO as an important teaching technique, two schools (49 students) opted not to use them. These students completed all elements of the program except the BTIO activities. Their…

The modern character education movement emerged in the 1980s as a consequence of growing parental and public concern for moral drift, or what sociologist James Davison Hunter referred to as "the death of character." This public anomie was captured in these words from Sanford McDonnell, chairman emeritus of McDonnell Douglas and chair of…

A meta-analysis of 47 studies investigating the relationship between family-centered helpgiving practices and parent, family, and child behavior and functioning is reported. The studies included more than 11,000 participants from seven different countries. Data analysis was guided by a practice-based theory of family-centered helpgiving that…

A three-year project was undertaken by the National Center for research in Vocational Education (Ohio State University, OH) to investigate time on task in vocational and technical classes. During the first year of the project, researchers used the direct observation method to collect time-on-task data pertaining to 10 teachers and 186 students in…

The No Child Left Behind Act was designed primarily to ensure educational accountability through schools producing positive results or outcomes for educational efforts. With this policy change, a need exists to provide parents information that describes the evidence basis for curriculum materials and interventions that are being used in special…

In light of college students' high level of knowledge about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and their persistence in engaging in risky sexual behaviors, this paper reviews the current literature on college students' level of AIDS knowledge, their patterns of behavior, factors essential in designing effective AIDS education programs, and…

This report describes the outcomes of a federally funded project that developed an interactive videodisc social skills program and tested the effectiveness of the program on 30 children (grades 3-5) with behavior disorders. The program teaches children how to use appropriate tone of voice, phrasing, and body language in such social interactions as…

Parental opinion is an important indicator of educational effectiveness. Parent attitudes toward school effectiveness were measured in this survey to determine one school district's strategic plan concerning community involvement. A random sample of 650 households, representing prekindergarten through twelfth grade, were asked about their…

Van Duyn Elementary School (Syracuse, New York) implemented a site-based project to develop student character. The neighborhood is a racially mixed, stable, private home community with 58 percent of students eligible for free or reduced price lunches. The school's objectives as part of a shared decision making, pilot school process were to have…

In the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District in California, prerequisite levels have been established for almost all courses offered, though students may insist on taking classes above their prerequisite level. In an effort to validate the district's prerequisite system, a study was conducted comparing academic success rates of students…

The relationship of time spent in either Montessori or traditional preschool programs to the preschooler's development in five parameters was studied. The five parameters were: (1) personal skills; (2) relationship with teachers; (3) peer relations; (4) behavioral control; and (5) cognitive skills. A review of the literature on Montessori and…

This report summarizes the results of research conducted in the Benton Harbor Area Schools (Michigan) during 1985 and 1986, to measure the sustained impact of the School Development Program (SDP), which aimed to increase school effectiveness. The study sample included a total of 313 students in kindergarten through grade five who attended 14…

A report is given of a statistical analysis of the summary findings of 14 empirical studies on the effectiveness of human relations training programs for teachers. The study sought to determine the direction and size of the effect produced by training, and determine which programs were most effective. Program approaches included: (1) Social…

PASS (Positive Alternatives to Student Suspensions) is a Portland Public Schools program which provides a sequence of intervention strategies to improve attendance and progress of "high risk" high school students. The goal of its student, staff, parent, and community components is the reduction in the number of students suspended, or…

A dropout prevention program was developed to address the needs of middle school alternative students, those students who have been labeled as severely disruptive and who fall into the high-risk category for potential dropouts. Many of the students have a history of physical violence, abusive language, truancy, and police arrests or juvenile…