In preparation for the possible establishment of a Pharmacy Technician program, the Eastern Iowa Community College District convened a Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) workshop in December 1989, involving a panel of eight pharmacy technicians (PT's). Panelists helped to develop a DACUM chart, graphically describing the occupation in terms of…

The development of a needs instrument designed to assess the continuing education needs of school administrators is described. The instrument was constructed to assess the administrators' continuing needs in: (1) principalship; (2) the school as a system; (3) problem solving; (4) staff development; (5) collaborative long-range planning; (6)…

Because of a need for information about the structure, staffing, physical space, and types of activities of media service departments at colleges and universities, a study was conducted to gain a snapshot of media service programs at 4-year institutions with student enrollments between 5,000 and 10,000 students in 1992 and 1993. A 47-item…

The number of public high school districts in North Dakota declined from 256 to 186 during 1970-94; 22 school districts were eliminated in the last 5 years of that period. A survey was conducted in eight communities (four pairs) that had gone through school district consolidation and school closing during 1991-94. Community populations in 1994…

An Australian study explored assumptions underlying thinking about work experience and vocational placement programs described in the literature, documented how much they were warranted by available evidence, and examined student and employer benefits. Surveys collected data from the following: students in grades 10-12 who participated in…

Active learning is an important element of course design. It has, however, not been integrated in the conduct of class lectures as they have evolved from early, chalkboard-based discussions to newer, multimedia presentation styles. The sophisticated, multimedia presentation styles have forced some rigidity, and have often unintentionally relegated…

Eighty ninth graders who solved an algebra problem in groups of four showed status effects at the individual level. The students had filled out preactivity questionnaires about mathematical status and social status and a postactivity leadership questionnaire. Hierarchical regressions and path analyses show that, at the group level, solution score…

This paper discusses the findings of a study that examined the perceptions of 270 elementary school principals about a new Alabama certification model which abolishes categorical certification areas in special education and creates a generic "Collaborative Teacher" certification. Results indicate the most frequent special education…

This paper reports on a study in which data on audiobook borrowers' backgrounds, borrowing practices, and desires were collected, in order to assist library staff in making informed collection development decisions and being responsive to patron needs. Participants were patrons of the Salem Public Library (Ohio). An anonymous questionnaire was…

This report summarizes trend data on borrowing by students and parents to pay for college, and reports on a 1995 national survey of undergraduate students and their parents concerning student loan debt. Analysis of data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study found that there was an explosion in college borrowing in the 1990s; borrowing…

An action research project was conducted to find ways of increasing the productive use of time in middle school applied technology laboratories. The population targeted for the study consisted of 26 middle school students in a growing middle-class Illinois community. The problem of nonproductive use of class time was documented through test…

This report presents the methodology and results of a patron use and satisfaction survey conducted during four one-week periods in 1997-98 at the Ferndale Public Library (Michigan). Survey questions focused on patron self-description, library use, and resource evaluation. In all, 1,424 surveys were distributed and 1,222 returned for a response…

This report presents findings of a June 1998 survey of computing officials at 1,623 two- and four-year U.S. colleges and universities concerning the use of computer technology. The survey found that computing and information technology (IT) are now core components of the campus environment and classroom experience. However, key aspects of IT…

Established as a pilot project in 1991, Preparing for Profit (PREP) was a four-session entrepreneurial training seminar offered by LaGuardia Community College/City University of New York, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Coopers & Lybrand. PREP was designed to enhance opportunities for minority- and women-owned…

Calls for elementary teachers to reform their classroom practice in mathematics are coming from all sides. They are being asked to shift their teaching from an approach based on "transmission of knowledge" to student-centered practice. In order to assess elementary teachers' current goals and activities in teaching mathematics, a survey…