The importance, effects, and degree of variability of student experiences and learning outcomes in the primary clerkship were examined. It was concluded that variability of experience in clinical clerkships is neither inherently good nor bad. (LBH)

A study to assess the value of the dean's letter of recommendation as a predictor of internship performance compared information in dean's letters with the evaluation made by clinical staff during internship and found no significant correlation between the two. (JT)

Variables from five domains--demography, social background, service history, satisfaction, and performance--were used in a discriminant analysis approach to distinguishing three groups of naval personnel. Potential usefulness of this method, including implications for better understanding and control of manpower turnover were discussed. (Editor)

The job performance of a national sample of 939 physician's assistants was assessed by both a self-rating scale and one completed by supervising physicians. Three quarters of the supervisors were greatly satisfied with their assistants. Amount of education and previous medical experience did not affect job performance. (Editor/LBH)

Critically analyzes recent research studies that examine background variables, cognitive style, and psychological type as influences on performance in college-level computer science courses. Implications for matching curriculum and instructional strategies with student characteristics are presented, recommendations for further research are made,…

Teaching faculty in 10 entry-level professional fields reported varying amounts of time devoted to teaching, research, consulting, and professional practice but did not differ in time devoted to administration. Different professional fields may be characterized by group climates that influence or reinforce certain faculty roles. (Author/MLW)

A study at the Licenciate in Medicine in Spain showed the best predictors of first-year medical school grades to be science course grades, the overall admission test score, and the test score average. Implications for admissions and counseling are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Examined the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL) with regard to its effectiveness in predicting school success as determined by subjects' (N=245) first-grade performance on the California Achievement Test (CAT). Found the DIAL concepts subtest to be the most valid single predictor. (Author/ABB)

A study examined whether students beginning a cell biology course with prior knowledge of its three areas (genetics, histology, and biochemistry) would retain that advantage throughout the course and whether achievement was influenced by the order of questions in a test. (MSE)

Two experiments examined the role that college students' verbal aptitude and evaluation anxiety play in the production of persuasive letters. Results showed that verbal aptitude should be considered when predicting the quality of students writing. Taking writing anxiety into account did not increase the predictive power of verbal aptitude scores.…

Discusses the relationship between English language proficiency and academic success of English as a second language (ESL) students in universities and colleges where English is the language of instruction. The study points out difficulties associated with determining this relationship and makes suggestions for establishing guidelines to determine…

Twenty-six suicide attempters (ages 9-18) were compared with 725 nonattempters on measures of school achievement, educational goals, socioeconomic status (SES) and depression. Among reported results were significantly lower school achievement by suicide attempters, attributed to the effects of depression. Lower-SES youth were more likely to…

Simultaneous communication used by four teachers in formal lessons was investigated, to determine the extent to which signs and speech matched and to delineate factors predicting communication behavior. Simultaneous communication was found to be sign-driven or speech-driven depending on factors such as student comprehension, teacher's expertise,…

A study examined social and personal factors affecting the decision process of Australian secondary school students choosing university study and the effects of student background factors in higher education participation generally. The complex patterns of factors operating differentially in the high school years are interpreted through…

There is not much evidence that supports the notion of the self-fulfilling prophecy as applied to teachers' expectations of students. The "Pygmalion" study is often cited by courts and in the media; but it is highly criticized in scholarly circles, and its findings could not be replicated. (VM)