Uses a survey of educational attainment in urban Taiwan to explore the effects of ability grouping. Argues that because of the nature of educational institutionalization in Taiwan (universal basic education, a national curriculum, entrance examinations governing access to postcompulsory schooling) tracking reduces rather than accentuates the…

Educational and employment programs implemented by the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the 1950s and 1960s relocated thousands of American Indians to urban areas with the assurance of a better life. Focuses on the current status of the American Indian population in the San Francisco Bay area including Indian organizations, tribal group…

Using a social reproduction theory framework, analyzes the process by which high school seniors aspiring to high-level positions are sorted out after graduation. Analyzes early educational attainments and changes in occupational expectations. Shows a process of cumulative disadvantage in which White males are more likely to achieve their goals.…

Evaluates the writing of Hispanic students in bilingual and submersion programs, comparing it with the writing of native English speakers in regular programs. Five dependent variables are evaluated: rhetorical effectiveness, overall quality of writing, productivity, syntactic maturity, and error frequency. (46 references) (Author/OD)

Examines the importance of students' participation in cultural activities as a source of differentiation in the higher education plans of Australian secondary school students. Finds that cultural consumption has a major impact upon boys and a moderate impact upon girls. Proposes that cultural consumption mediates the relationship between social…

Explores the determining factors which influence the dropout rates among Hispanics by analyzing and comparing Chicano, Cuban and Puerto Rican student populations. Factors identified include confrontation, accelerated role taking, social background, school environment, sociopsychological motivation, and immigrant status. Suggests that school…

Describes the advantages of having students work actively together in small groups. Discusses the new roles that both students and teachers must assume in order to successfully implement the strategy in the classroom. (FMW)

Reports two studies analyzing the effects of family background on students' achievement in Thailand and Malawi, using measures of social class valid for developing countries. Found that family background accounted for achievement in both countries, suggesting that previous research may have underestimated these influences. (LS/Author)

A case study is reported that identified the individual, aggregate, and interactive effect of socioeconomic status, cultural, psychosocial, and academic factors that shaped the at-risk status of a Chicano fourth grader. The most significant at-risk factors included home violence and lack of continuous positive adult contact in school.…

This paper discusses theoretical issues surrounding the creation of new departments at universities and presents a case study of how the Institute for Media and Communication at Oslo University (Norway) was created. It examines the effects of status, resource allocation, and power relations on the creation of university departments. (MDM)

Changes in verbal, spatial, and reasoning intelligence among Swedish 13-year olds were studied from 1960 to 1990. Rising verbal scores until 1980 have been followed by a decline to essentially the 1960 level. Spatial and reasoning results have risen continuously. Gender and social class differences are discussed. (SLD)

An attempt to integrate psychological and sociological theories of student choice of higher education courses by drawing on the structuration theory of A. Giddens is discussed. Empirical support is given through studies of Danish higher education admission and student course selection by 1,084 secondary school graduates. (SLD)

Explores some of the radical social changes that have occurred during the late 20th century within Great Britain, and discusses what main change agents existed that moved and so radically altered British society. Finally, the article explores what these change agents have brought about and what can be done to reduce the damage. (GR)

Reports on a study to examine the hidden processes underlying the underrepresentation of women and minority ethnic groups in the academic profession. Identifies the importance of subject communities and their implicit values and assumptions. Illustrates the importance of judgments of academic merit at the very earliest stages of careers for racial…

Asserts that increased attention to marginalized groups in college political science courses is long overdue. Introduces a series of six brief articles describing how to incorporate these groups into the curriculum. Includes articles on gender, race, and sexual orientation issues. (CFR)