The nation will need millions of workers without baccalaureate degrees in the 1990s. Preparing the "forgotten half" for these jobs will require corporate investment in training, improvement of basic skills instruction, better-focused community college curricula, and large-scale programs to upgrade reading and writing skills. (SK)

Describes a multidisciplinary unit which uses 12 varieties of apples. Explains activities for observing, predicting decay, art and science, the process of fermentation, and group and individual projects. Information on description of apples and labeled diagrams are included. (RT)

Compares the process of instructional development (ID) in the corporate environment with ID in the educational environment. Needs assessments conducted by professional associations are reviewed, a critical incident survey to assess local training needs is described, and an outline for a graduate instructional technology program to prepare…

Describes attempts by the faculty at the Rindge School of Technical Arts, a vocational-technical program within the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (Massachusetts), to address humanities issues while providing high skills training. The article discusses creating contexts for writing, reflection, and exhibition that invite learners to make…

Suggestions are made for making meetings in a college or university setting more productive, particularly with regard to avoiding cultural misunderstanding. The cultural sources of some behaviors that may inhibit participation and effectiveness are outlined, and strategies for overcoming them are offered. (MSE)

Two articles describe the use of computer software to help elementary students develop literacy and writing skills: the first article evaluates "Writing to Read" software, comparing its use in classrooms and in computer labs with traditional instruction; the second article discusses using "Writing to Write" software with third graders. (LRW)

Offers seven criteria for developing mathematical thinking, plus suggestions for teaching and assessing students' progress that are compatible with each learning criterion. Provides evaluation sheets that help the teacher assess and grade students on the criteria. (10 references) (MDH)

Discusses the use of telecomputing in classrooms. Topics include telecomputing goals; use of the Internet; language arts and music FTP (file transfer protocol) sites; social studies FTP sites; science Telnet sites; social studies Telnet sites; skill building and learning processes; and instructional design. (LRW)

Examines the development of information technology (IT) capability by teacher-trainees on a postgraduate certificate of education course; the course involves the promotion of IT use during classroom placements by teacher-mentors. Survey results indicate that for certain trainees, the development of IT skills was regarded as being synonymous with…

This literature review examines the effects of self-instructional programs on increasing independence of persons with moderate/severe mental retardation in integrated environments. The article discusses methodological issues, research needs, and recommendations for program implementation. The feasibility of using self-instruction to promote…

Four adults with moderate/severe disabilities were taught to request objects by using the manual signs "want" or "please" plus an object label sign, within the context of familiar activities in which needed objects were missing. All participants acquired a generic requesting response, and three acquired an explicit requesting…

A single-subject design utilized three mainstreamed hard-of-hearing students in middle school to evaluate whether cooperative learning was effective in encouraging conversational interaction with hearing peers and teachers. Results indicated that cooperative learning positively influenced the conversational turns, initiations, moves, and mean…

A constant time delay (CTD) procedure was used to teach four adolescents with severe/profound intellectual disabilities to perform bowling, throwing, and putting. Results indicated that the adolescents could be effectively taught gross motor lifetime sport skills with the CTD procedure and that verbal description plus physical assistance could be…

Low-achieving students were taught to complete a resume and improved their ability to complete an application form to a level comparable to average-achieving peers through a group counseling program. Components of the program and examination of an intervention using program materials are presented. Educational implications and plans for future…

Interviews with 2,000 children (ages 10-16) and their caretakers revealed that two-thirds of the children had been exposed to child abuse and victimization prevention programming. Programs that involved practice, prompted discussions with parents, and included information on dealing with bullies were more likely to result in skill utilization. The…