The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national…

The advantages and difficulties of partnership working for a new university at crisis point in the use of people, time and facilities for the development of widening participation initiatives. The focus is on local partnerships which bring together a wide range of organisations from public, private and voluntary sectors to increase participation…

This study sought to understand FFA leadership activities and member role in planning these activities. Qualitative research methods were used to gain insight into the perceptions of FFA members. Twelve chapters from 11 different states participated in four focus group sessions at the National FFA Convention. Youth participating in the focus group…

This paper describes the challenges and benefits of an action-research project with a Nashville-based nonprofit human service organization. In our view, outmoded human service organizations are in serious need of innovation to promote psychological and physical wellness, prevention of social problems, empowerment, and social justice. This project…

Linda Scott DeRosier's autobiographical accounts of literacy attainment in "Creeker: A Woman's Journey" and "Songs of Life and Grace" reveal that entrance into a secondary discourse community via literacy can bring both pleasure and pain. Analyzing the identity negotiations DeRosier encounters reveals that although she…

This study examined the effects on 6- and 8-year old children (n = 160) of rejection versus acceptance by an initial group, the reason for the rejection or acceptance (personal versus category-based), and the norms (inclusion versus exclusion) of a new group to which the children were assigned, on their negative affect and attitudes towards the…

The attribution of low literacy levels among Gypsy children to difficulties of access to schools neglects underlying sociocultural explanations. There has been little analysis in reports/studies of Gypsy attitudes toward literacy, nor of outcomes of acquisition. Informed by new literacy theory and by the discourse of previous ethnographic studies,…

The national standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) provide for defining the role of the school counselor, evaluating the content of counseling programs, and effectively meeting the needs of students. This study surveyed 495 school counselors in all levels including Kindergarten through 12th grade in Texas public schools to…

The ways in which personal narratives, particularly of familiar stories, are used to ratify group membership are examined. Focus is primarily on co-narrated stories, in which more than one group member participates in the re-telling of a familiar story. A typical instance in which family members collaboratively construct a story is offered as an…

Mutual support groups in schools can be developed as part of strategies to provide assistance for parents or other family members, students, or school staff. These groups can also be used to provide support for newcomers and others in periods of transition. This technical aid packet describes the process as used with parents, but the procedures…

A study examined the relationship between participation and performance in groups to determine whether increased communicative activity brought about through participation in groups resulted in the acquisition of specific types of organizational knowledge and increased motivation which positively affected performance. Subjects for the study were…

To address the lack of research focusing on naturally occurring groups within an organizational context, a study examined the selection process and criteria that individuals use when allowed to self-select members for task groups. Subjects, 248 students enrolled in a basic communication course at a midwestern university, self-selected themselves…

Educators are always dealing with subcultures, whether or not they are labeled as such. The distinguishing elements of a subculture are the values behind observable cultural traits. Each person belongs to one or more subcultures, and the values ascribed either by the subculture to itself or by the greater culture to that subset have continual…

Small powerful cliques that crystallize within organizations are often able to impose their ideas upon administrators, in the process effectively stifling innovation and creativity. (Author/WM)

The development of public relations as an industry is traced in this document, and the need for high standards to be set and maintained is stressed. Ways to improve personal and professional standards in the public relations field include continuous reading and study on the subject, establishing a code of ethics for the profession, and taking…