This paper addresses the continuing failure of racial and ethnic minorities, specifically Mexican Americans and American Indians, to gain full representation in doctoral graduating classes and college faculties. The demographics of minorities in doctoral programs is reviewed with particular emphasis on the Southwestern United States and the two…

This study reports on the results of a survey of current graduate students at Boise State University (BSU) in Idaho, seniors with good grade point averages, and individuals working in the Boise area mainly in the areas of technology and education. Survey respondents (N=297) were asked what obstacles kept or had kept them from enrolling in graduate…

This research investigated how use of an interactive videodisk information system, the Strategic Teaching Framework (STF), helped preservice teachers expand their visions of teaching, learning, and assessment in mathematics, and helped develop their skills in translating that vision into action in the classroom. STF consisted of videos of…

The origins, development, and implementation of a course in oral presentation skills in English for graduate students in the sciences and engineering are described. The course was piloted at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan to train students for presentation of technical papers. Background information is offered on English language…

A study of minority graduate student needs at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) found three areas needing improvement: (1) recruiting efforts; (2) social support; and (3) cultural environment. A mentoring program was then designed to address these needs by providing a personal and academic support network for minority students,…

This study, conducted at an urban research university, attempted to identify those conditions valuable in recruiting and subsequently retaining older (over 35 years of age) female doctoral students. The study used data from a Spring 1991 survey of all graduate students which solicited information about experiences, accomplishments, and growth…

Teacher educators have come to appreciate that the teaching of difficult subjects combines knowledge of content and knowledge of generic teaching methods. A study was conducted, therefore, to explore the potential of cases to carry pedagogical content knowledge. A case was developed describing how an expert teacher goes about teaching…

By examining the role of supervision in the induction process of second career teachers, this study provides a new lens both for examining the career transition of second career teachers and for viewing the role of instructional supervision. Using case study methodology, the transitions of three cohorts (N=38) of participants in a teacher…

This study, part of a larger project on doctoral student attrition, presents an in-depth account of the educational experiences of three doctoral students who dropped out. The students, a woman in sociology who left after the first year, a man in psychology who completed all but a dissertation, and a woman in Art History who left after four years…

An innovative approach to the preparation of school administrators is described in which instructor and student come together in a learning situation that integrates three core components: (1) formative portfolio assessment; (2) reflective practice; and (3) cognitive apprenticeship. The operation and impact of this approach are illustrated through…

This paper argues that collaborative learning is possible within graduate education and examines the process whereby a classroom can develop into a unified learning community of shared experiences. Using excerpts of student writings and dialogue, three aspects surrounding the creation of a learning community are explored: (1) the risk of trust,…

These selected papers on non-traditional and interdisciplinary programs in higher education take as their theme, developing effective interdisciplinary instruction. The first set of papers which address teaching in interdisciplinary programs describe particular programs, address teaching theory, and examine interdisciplinary teaching in connection…

Data on 1980 college and university enrollments and trends observed for the preceding several years are presented. Information is provided on enrollment in institutions of higher education by control and level of institution, student sex, and attendance status of student, major field of study, and race/ethnicity. Specific data include: enrollment…

Trends in the level of borrowing by graduate and professional students, and the capacity of students to repay their education debt are considered. In addition, sources of debt data and implications of this information for national student aid and data collection policy are addressed. Attention is also directed to levels of indebtedness between…

The case study evaluated a distance education program offered by a land-grant university agricultural college. The study used Holmberg's and Moore's theoretical frameworks of didactic conversation and multiple interactions to determine the importance of interaction on the efficacy of distance learning. The mixed methods approach used an original…