This report is based on a national survey of 22,000 public school teachers. The report reveals a growing gap between the school and the home, and the majority of teachers report that the willingness of parents to be involved in their children's education falls below their expectations. In addition to the reporting of national trends, the report…

Because of the higher-than-average risk of hypertension, obesity, and diabetes among Hispanics, researchers selected these three health problems as the focus of a "radio novela" intended to increase the health knowledge and awareness of a Hispanic target audience and to stimulate their response to the problems. The replicable health…

A study examined the effects of students' intellectual and physical characteristics on the nonverbal behavior of vocational teachers. During the study, 30 female vocational typing teachers were randomly assigned to teach a five-minute minilesson to 15 handicapped students and 15 students who were not handicapped. Both high- and low-achieving…

Videotape recordings and transcriptions of sequences of drama sessions in 10 elementary classrooms were analyzed to explore the utility of an anthropological perspective in assessing the nature of children's participation in improvisational drama project activities. Approximately 270 children and their teachers received seven and one half hours of…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 15 titles deal with the following topics: (1) the development of a module to attain the leadership competency of encouraging improved interpersonal communication through feedback; (2) communicating in an American Taoist…

Two data-gathering instruments, the Supervisory Behavior Description Questionnaire (SBDQ) and the derivative Supervising Teacher Behavior Description Questionnaire (STBDQ), are described in one paper and employed in three others in this symposium series. Both forms are useful in evaluating perceived behaviors of supervisory educational personnel,…

A review of the literature that examines the relationship between television and reading achievement reveals, in general, a negative correlation between television viewing and the acquisition of reading skills. These studies, however, have been somewhat limited in both number and methodology. To further clarify the picture, a study was conducted…

Eight issues concerning academic freedom are discussed. The issues are: (1) the question of who should have the right to decide what should be taught; (2) the extent to which school districts should impose specific restrictions on subjects discussed in the classroom; (3) the controversy over the rights of teachers to refuse to teach content that…

Nine author-contributed papers focus on the needs of preschool gifted and talented children. M. Karnes presents "The Challenge" of educating this population, reviews characteristics of gifted/talented children, and offers guidelines for developing programs for students, including gifted minority and gifted handicapped children. A variety of…

The Action Oriented, Reflection Oriented (AORO) observation instrument was designed to help teachers determine their students' cognitive preferences. The assumption underlying the instrument was that learning is enhanced when teaching strategies and materials take into account the student's natural tendency toward action or reflection. AORO…

This teacher's manual is one volume of a six volume curriculum for the secondary level, designed to provide a systematic, group-oriented approach to decision-making in areas crucial to adolescent development: work, drug (substance) use and abuse, sexuality and social relationships, people and government, and juvenile law. The major goals of the…

This guide provides procedures and supporting materials for a sex equity workshop aimed at elementary school teachers. The workshop is intended to expand awareness of sexism and to increase sex-affirmative behavior in the educational environment. The guide describes content, process, and sequential learning experiences for seven sessions, plus an…

A study investigated attempts to influence student-teachers' interactive cognitions by means of specially designed video materials that were detailed illustrations of educational theories. It was hypothesized that student-teachers, having worked through these video materials, would be inclined to used the theoretical key elements in their thinking…

The Early Field Experience (EFE) is the laboratory component of a "Reading in the Content Area" methods course. Preservice secondary education teacher candidates are required to tutor a middle or high school student on a one-to-one basis for a semester. Content area reading strategies are taught in class and the EFE students apply them in their…

In 1988, a study was conducted to examine the perspectives of community college students, faculty, and administrators concerning faculty behaviors that enhance students' ability to persist in college and transfer to a four-year institution. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 faculty members and 16 administrators to elicit…