This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 21 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the effect of music programs on reading ability; a coordinated laboratory-classroom approach to the teaching of reading; teachers' attitudes toward the language…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 19 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the effects on self concept and reading achievement of an art program and an activity-based reading program; children's selection of trade books; two approaches…

Major purposes of the urban cooperative work education programs study were to assess the effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary cooperative education programs in the nation's hundred largest cities and to analyze the postprogram experiences of both participants and nonparticipants. Thirty case studies were compiled from 19 secondary and 11…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

The French employers federation (MEDEF) has taken the initiative to develop a joint inter-sectoral mechanism for accreditation of occupational competences. The approach analyzes occupations at a more abstract level than the tasks performed within a specific job to facilitate comparison of different occupations from different sectors and allow…

Evidence from the past 4 years confirms that private sector jobs are the best and first resort for welfare recipients seeking to enter the workforce and that the private sector can well absorb the entry of these new workers. The model of wage-based transitional employment may be a more effective means of helping hard-to-employ welfare recipients…

The Competent Children Project is following a group of about 500 children in the Wellington region of New Zealand from around the age of 5 until they leave school. The main aims of the project are to describe children's progress over time and to chart contributions to their progress made by family resources, early childhood education, school…

Data from interviews with 750 employers in Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles were used to analyze the job performance and retention rates of recently hired welfare recipients. The 20-minute interviews focused on employers' subjective ratings of recently hired welfare recipients' job performance and whether employers experienced the…

"Transforming the First Year of College for Students of Color" addresses some of the unique challenges and transition issues for African-American, Latino/a, Asian-Pacific American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and multiracial college students. Chapters address specific strategies for working with these student populations to ensure their success…

The DEAL (Developing Employment-based Access to Learning) project evolved from a Scottish access to education initiative as a vehicle for enabling workers and their employers to benefit from continuing education through work-based learning. Through DEAL, educational institutions in the United Kingdom have formed partnerships with a number of…

This book was written for practicing primary (elementary) school teachers and for anyone concerned with inservice or preservice science teacher education. The overall purpose of the book is to identify ways in which ideas about electricity and simple circuits can be taught effectively in primary school classrooms. This book is based on in-depth…

The theme of this collection of 17 monographs is defined as the "senior year experience," that final period of the undergraduate experience leading to entry into graduate school or the workplace. Part 1, "Understanding the Unique Needs of Today's Seniors," examines the characteristics and needs of senior as they make the…

This report, which is directed toward policymakers, educators, employers, researchers, and others interested in the school-to-work (STW) movement, synthesizes literature on the development and effectiveness of STW programs since 1993. Part I provides an overview of the STW movement and examines the effectiveness of STW efforts in terms of…

This collection of papers examines the current standard practice of confining teacher preparation to 4 years of coursework, discussing the growing interest in career-spanning teacher education. Section 1, "Teacher Cognition, Constructivist Teacher Education, and the Ethical and Social Implications of Schooling: Overview and Framework"…

Noting that many middle schools do not pay sufficient attention to the emotional, physical, and social development of their students, this booklet presents characteristics of successful middle school programs, as recognized by scholars in the middle school movement. Each characteristic is accompanied by an explanation of the "what and…