In fall 1988, Mt. San Antonio College undertook a study to determine the effect of prerequisite waivers on students' academic progress. Two groups who received waivers in the fall 1987 and spring 1988 semesters were selected for the study. Group I included 222 students who applied for and received waivers both semesters. Group II was comprised of…

A preliminary model was developed for predicting mail survey response rates of college bound high school students using student demographic and academic ability data. Two samples of high school juniors and seniors who took the American College Testing (ACT) Assessment between October 1987 and February 1988 were selected. One sample (n=810)…

Nontraditional styles of postsecondary enrollment were assessed: delaying postsecondary enrollment for a year or more beyond high school graduation, enrolling part-time, or entering non-degree-granting programs. Part-time attendance was defined as pursuing a courseload below half-time. The sample consisted of 8,464 recent U.S. high school…

An observational study was conducted to investigate the computer activity of children in a preschool classroom. Thirty-nine 3- to 5-year-old children were observed using a computer over nine weeks during a daily one-hour free play period. Different types of computer programs were available. During one half of the sessions, an adult knowledgeable…

In this report, the 25 secondary and 13 elementary schools participating in "A Study of Schooling" are described in two ways. First, the emphasis given to academics and vocational subjects in the curriculum is estimated and compared with that of the other schools at the same level. Second, tracking policies and practices at each of the schools are…

In order to analyze the effectiveness of school districts in Kentucky, a study looked at basic skill test scores in reading and language at two grade levels, 3rd and 10th. In order to take into account student differences between school districts, the percentage of students in the "below average" range on the Short Form Test of Academic…

Research is attempting to examine the causes and effects of incestual child abuse and has discovered more complicated temporary and long-term repercussions than previously suspected. Fifteen subjects in a residential facility participated in a study to examine the self-concept and intellect of girls who had been victims of incest. Their scores on…

This study investigates the relationship between an examinee's test anxiety level, degree of person fit, and ability. Three major types of person fit indices measure the degree of unusual response patterns: norm comparison indices; goodness-of-fit indices; and extended indices. Five different person fit indices were calculated for the results of…

In a study of the way adult basic education (ABE) students answer different kinds of questions about what they read, 221 students were asked to read ten passages during a ten-week period and to answer ten questions about each passage immediately after reading it. Each set of questions included three dealing with facts, three dealing with word…

Interviews with parents of fifth-graders in 153 urban and suburban Chicago (Illinois) area households provided researchers with answers to several questions about the nature of parent participation in education. The researchers considered parent participation to be an aspect of educational politics. They measured the level of participation at the…

This study investigated the relationships among student and group characteristics, group interaction, and achievement in cooperative small groups. Seventy-seven students in two junior high school mathematics classrooms learned a two-week unit on exponents and scientific notation in mixed-ability or uniform-ability groups. Interaction in the groups…

College students in introductory foreign language courses (French, German, and Spanish) were the subjects of a study to determine what if any correlation exists between ability and motivation on the one hand and achievement on the other in learning a second language. The ability measure (predicted grade point average) was found to correlate…

Major findings and recommendations for postsecondary education in Indiana are presented. Topics discussed include enrollments, postsecondary participation rates, College Board admission test results, educational attainments of the Indiana adult population, characteristics and plans of Indiana high school seniors, characteristics and plans of…

A process for setting standards that may be adapted by educators in a variety of settings for educational decision making is presented. In this process, which was used to set minimum standards in English for admission to a teacher education program at a large university, a number of trial standards were initially set utilizing a variety of…

Results of a study that examined entry competency levels of 1,511 students enrolled in 12 sections of introductory biology at Texas A&M University are reported. A pretest was developed and administered to students which tested basic competencies over nine concept areas considered prerequisite to the introductory biology course. A questionnaire…