Assesses the state of U.S. education after a decade of debate about school improvement, and explores what research is teaching us about child development. Children develop a significant portion of their cognitive skills before they are old enough for Head Start, making early interventions crucial. (SLD)

This article explores current educational reform initiatives as they relate to curriculum and assessment, programs for at-risk students, collaborative schools, and the regular education initiative. Implications for teacher preparation include the need for defining the knowledge base, designing alternative program models, and developing exemplary…

A study applied a human capital model to statistics on part-time adult college/university students in the United Kingdom and finding that part-time students account for approximately 40% of total student numbers of whom 42% are female and that part-time study is of significant benefit to both individuals and society. (Author/MSE)

Surveys 116 urban school principals to determine their viewpoints on the academic needs of high-risk students. Results reveal five critical areas where improvement is considered essential. A common theme is that more attention should be given to affective resources, including counseling, transitional programs, and alternative classroom structures.…

The introduction of Total Quality Management into the classroom is often driven by corporate, rather than student, interests. Corporations'"raison d'etre" is to maximize profit for their investors. If educators look at students and see only future employees, they distort learning by reducing it to fiscal terms and ignore what children…

Rethinking the middle-level schooling process means reevaluating curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices; addressing organizational structure and attendant issues (grade configuration, grouping patterns, and the master schedule); and examining staffing issues, particularly the teacher's role. The proof of the process lies in student…

Describes a study that measured the effects of the information resources and services of a regional information resources center on the work of agricultural scientists in Nigeria. Highlights include user characteristics; rate of library use; scientists' information needs; trends in library demands; availability of journal articles; current…

Describes a study of undergraduates that investigated the use of hypermedia programs by learners classified as active, passive, or neutral. Two instructional approaches were compared, one utilizing instructional cues and one without instructional cues; and dependent variables including achievement, time on task, and frequency of viewing embedded…

Focusing on educational measurement that suggests an action and has an outcome, 16 problem areas are defined and grouped into the following classes: (1) validity; (2) issues of statistical adjustment; (3) data insufficiencies; (4) other issues related to standardized testing and constructed responses; and (5) technical issues of psychometrics.…

Special needs teachers and subject teachers simplified text in British secondary level science and humanities courses and used the text with a class of mixed attainment groups. Subsequent assessment indicated that marks of higher achievers were consistently high and marks of low achievers were significantly improved compared to a control group.…

This article summarizes 43 empirical studies of school-to-community transition of hearing-impaired persons with developmental disabilities; discusses data collection and interpretation issues; and recommends future research, development, and evaluation. The studies deal with such areas as career/vocational preparation, independent living skills,…

A study investigated the communicative competencies required in English as a Second Language (ESL) by 200 business and accounting students at Nanyang Technological Institute (Singapore) and explored a communicatively based ESL curriculum design. Student attitudes about the current linguistically based ESL program were also examined. Results are…

Describes institutes developed at Rutgers University to introduce practicing librarians to the information search process from the user's perspective. Highlights included library search sessions followed by small and large group discussions, presentations on the theoretical foundations of the search process, and developing plans for libraries'…

Discusses the role of the undergraduate library in bibliographic instruction, research on student information needs and use, minority and multicultural education, and teaching life-long learning skills. Issues related to staffing, collections, access, and teaching critical thinking skills are also addressed. A sidebar by Patricia A. Tarin…

Reports findings of a Scottish study using questionnaires and interviews to investigate views of 387 college freshmen on course selection, specifically addressing low female enrollment in computing areas. Finds computing students motivated by extrinsic awards. Reveals stereotypes, intimidation fears, lack of role models, and teacher guidance…