Primary and secondary teacher-trainees in Queensland were surveyed on their social origins, reasons for choosing teaching as a career, the timing of that choice, and the influence exerted by others. Results indicated that this decision results from the interplay of external influences and inner dispositions. (Author/SJL)

A number of studies have shown the relationship between College Board test scores and college grade point averages for Black students. This study found that two personal data items--number of courses taken in high school English and rank in the high school class--discriminated between successful and nonsuccessful college students. (Author)

Investigation of determinants of 143 intermediate grade children's attitudes and behavioral intentions toward peers with physical disabilities found that the children's own attitudes toward inclusion of peers was the strongest predictor of behavioral intentions, though attitudes of teachers, principals, and parents were also significant…

This study tested a conceptual framework of child physical abuse based on three major determinants of abuse: exposure to aggression, exposure to stressors, and access to resources. The study of 81 physically abusive and 148 nonabusive mothers found that being abused by one's own mother and exposure to domestic violence as an adult were the best…

Maintains that the equal marginal value principle may not be optimal in the analysis of the cost-effectiveness of policies to reduce auto emissions, the economics of garbage disposal, and the economics of pollution abatement. Argues that examining these exceptions can help students understand the equal marginal value principle. (MJP)

This study investigated the concurrent and predictive validity of the Preprofessional Skills Test (PPST), a basic teacher competency test. Using data for 1986-1992, researchers examined relationships between preservice teachers' PPST scores and grade point average (GPA), student teaching achievement, employment interview scores, and postgraduate…

Torrance's longitudinal study predicting adult creative achievement was reexamined employing a multiple regression analysis. Application to 211 cases found that 4 predictors explained 49% of the total variance in adult creative achievement. They were creativity test score, childhood future career image, intelligence test score, and the existence…

Discusses a study examining the relationship between student academic performance in an exit-level, developmental mathematics course and subsequent academic performance in a college-level mathematics course. Finds that developmental course performance and student age were significantly and positively related to academic success, while length of…

Describes a study of 61 undergraduates that investigated the effects of hypermedia content-structure focusing on learner's structural knowledge acquisition, retention, and disorientation. Use of a Completely Randomized Multivariate Analysis of Variance design for hypothesis testing is explained and implications for hypermedia design are discussed.…

The Teacher Followup Survey of 4,798 public school teachers found that teacher turnover decreased as the following variables increased: age, the number of dependent children, the level of certification, the number of years since the last degree was earned, teaching experience, and salary level. Strategies to maximize teacher retention are…

At 3 points in time over a 12-month period, this short-term longitudinal study examined 67 preschoolers' syllable, rime, and phoneme awareness; speech and language skills; and letter knowledge. Findings indicated that rime skills developed earlier than phoneme skills. Structural equation models showed that articulatory skills and syllable and rime…

This 3-wave longitudinal study spanning 12 months examined the process by which emotional distress contributes to competence estimation in 9- to 13-year-olds. Findings indicated that emotional distress predicted negative beliefs about the self and the world over time; these beliefs in turn predicted decrements in competence estimation over time.…

A meta-analysis of 30 studies found the following learner characteristics influenced the treatment responsiveness of early literacy interventions: rapid naming; problem behavior; phonological awareness; alphabetic principle; memory; IQ; and demographics. With the exception of the demographic category, the obtained effect sizes for the primary…

Assessed the role of attention processes as mediators between family environment and school readiness, analyzing data from 1,002 children and their families participating in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Found that sustained attention partially accounted for the link between family environment and achievement and language outcomes.…

The contributions of receptive vocabulary scores, maternal responsiveness, and maternal directiveness to the prediction of verbal IQ and reading over a 5 1/2-year period were investigated. Receptive vocabulary scores of 543 low-birthweight children at 36 months accounted for the major portion of the variation. Maternal responsiveness added…