This paper describes the findings of various researchers on the role of faculty, learners, administrators, and technology in the effectiveness of distance learners. New technology and learners' characteristics have contributed to the effectiveness of distance education. The planning and organizing of instructional materials for distance education…

By offering benefits that assist workers in attaining a better balance between work and family, employers can improve the quality of work produced for their companies and the quality of life for employees. This report discusses the benefits of dependent care programs, describes the process involved in selecting appropriate programs, and discusses…

Comparisons were conducted to assess the impact of levels of communication apprehension (CA) on students in a traditional hybrid basic course against students placed in freshmen interest group (FIG) settings. This investigation assessed the impact of the FIG classroom at an open admissions 4-year college on reduction of communication apprehension…

This report contains fiscal year (FY) 1998 data on employee compensation in the 49 public community colleges in the Illinois Community College System. First, data tables are provided on contractual base salaries for full-time faculty, salary rates for part-time faculty, full-time faculty overload, and summer term faculty. Next, salary schedules…

This study used a Vygotskian perspective to compare child rearing values and beliefs of parents, especially in regard to self-directed activities of children, in the United States, Russia, and Estonia. Participating were 60 families, evenly divided by society and social class (middle or working class), each with a child between 28 and 45 months…

A study of social and cultural factors that affect the appropriateness of verbal expressions in different languages focuses on the comparative uses of three common expressions ("thank you, I'm sorry, excuse me" and their equivalents) in English and Chinese. First, the usage patterns of the three expressions are explained briefly, and the…

This study examined children's perceptions of child-rearing norms and values of the culture where the child is raised and provides a cross-cultural comparison of child development in India, Kenya, and Sweden. Children ages 8 through 13 in Kenya were asked questions regarding good and bad behavior and parents' sanctions, the results of which were…

This report is the beginning of a series that will examine the performance of the school children of New Jersey relative to the performance of other children in the United States and worldwide. The measure of performance used was the 1992 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics examinations and their linked versions of the…

This annual report presents several articles related to the work of the Clinical Center for Child Development at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. The articles are: (1) "Intrinsic Musicality: Rhythm and Prosody in Infant-Directed Voices" (Niki Powers); (2) "Movable Cognitive Studies with a Portable, Telemetric Near-Infrared…

Studies of U.S. history in middle school usually focus on the British point of view of the growth and development of the United States. This curriculum project aims to foster a bi-national perspective to compare and contrast issues reflecting the influences of Spain and Mexico on the indigenous cultures of both countries, with a specific focus on…

The term "ergonagy" is formed from the Greek terms "ergon" (work) and "agogos" (lead). Ergonagy integrates concepts associated with education and training related to preparation for, and performance of, work. Pedagogy may be defined as the art and science of teaching, and andragogy may be defined as the art and…

This study examined the effects of a pediatric clinic-based intervention program, Reach Out and Read (ROR), on the literacy beliefs and behaviors of caretakers of children ages 9 months to 5 years. Doctors' beliefs about literacy and parent behavior were also examined. Data were collected through structured interviews conducted with 22 caregivers…

Noting that the well-being of children and that of mothers cannot be separated, this report uses the Mothers' Index to compare the well-being of mothers and children in 17 developed countries and 77 developing countries. The Mothers' Index is a composite of elements contributing to a woman's well-being, including health status, educational status,…

This study was designed to explore how some students in 10 public schools view the World Wide Web and how their attitudes and opinions affect their use of this new medium in an educational context. An exploratory principal components analysis of 40 use statements resulted in an 8-factor solution. Additionally, student responses to a…

This study examined the effects of full-day kindergarten on students' development of literacy skills as measured by Clay's Observation Survey, focusing on the impact for Canadian schools serving students from low socioeconomic or educationally deprived backgrounds. Data were collected from two schools offering full-day programs and one school…