Describes a Life Development Center, a structured residential environment in which students and professionals work together to achieve personal growth and development. The Center provides for the integration of academic and residence environments in which students' understandings of themselves and others may be expanded. (JAC)

Examines the difficulty of determining sociology course objectives for the diverse student populations at community colleges. Argues that sociology instructors, in light of this diversity, should use a combination of teaching modalities and should stress content relating to college survival skills, enhanced social awareness, and increased…

The dying and death component of the psychiatry clerkship at Dartmouth Medical School is described. The educational objectives and instructional methods were developed to enhance the student's understanding of what terminal patients experience in psychosocial needs and to explore his role and skill in caring for patients in terminal situations.…

High school student opinions concerning competencies to be taught in high school were surveyed through a questionnaire asking subjects to indicate the importance of 100 competencies by means of a 7-point scale. Results indicated the importance of competencies having practical value in day-to-day living. (Author/GSK)

The assessment of behavior patterns and levels of functioning of visually handicapped students is essential for establishing effective educational programs. The article discusses the factors in formative assessment, the types of data to be collected, and the most appropriate measurement instruments that are available to evaluate a variety of…

The study examined the efficacy of systematic team placement and individualized educational plans (IEPs) on enhancing the social integration of 200 educable mentally retarded and learning/behaviorally disturbed children into regular elementary classrooms. (Author)

The study was designed to provide an informal, structured, off-campus retreat to enable college students to gain knowledge about one another and themselves as a means of developing improved cooperation with and concern for each other in their college methods classes. Data indicated positive group feelings after the retreat. (Author)

A longitudinal study of 133 medical students at the University of Illinois used multiple clinical encounters with standardized patients to test student interpersonal and communication skills after the second and during the fourth year. Mean patient satisfaction improved from first to second encounter, and female students performed better than…

This study examined the nature of a university supervisor's role during student teaching, highlighting issues shaping roles and relationships. Data from meetings, conferences, informal discussions, and interviews with the cooperating teacher, student teacher, and supervisor indicated there were tensions related to the supervisor's dual role in…

Examines shortcomings of the traditional high school special education curriculum and highlights a curriculum designed to assist students with mild disabilities in their transition to adulthood. The curriculum emphasizes problem solving and self-advocacy and includes components on daily living, personal/social, occupational exploration, and…

Two measures of community-based social behavior for adolescents and young adults with emotional and behavioral disorders, the male and female forms of the Test of Community-Based Social Skill Knowledge and the Scale of Community-Based Social Skill Performance, were examined. Results found the measures yielded acceptable reliabilities and exhibited…

The social self-concepts of four gifted high school students attending a rigorous residential program were examined before and after participation in a social skills workshop patterned after the Culcross and Jenkins-Friedman (1988) model. Contrary to expectation, the subjects did not demonstrate an increase in their social self-concepts.…

Identifies "play-party" games as simple musical games requiring no instrumental accompaniment. The games were popular on the 19th-century American frontier. Recommends using these as class learning activities. Provides several lists of resources and includes notational scores and activities for two songs. (MJP)

Examined 499 urban middle school students' perspectives on cooperative learning and conflicts that arise when they work in groups. Found that most subjects prefer cooperative learning to working alone, but that the most appealing aspects of cooperative learning--peer interaction and opportunities for different points of view--are also fertile…

This article describes a comprehensive transition program for students with mild disabilities. The program revolves around a classroom-based employability skills curriculum taught over a semester's duration. Four program components are addressed: employability skills training, family involvement, adult agency referral, and on-the-job support. (CR)