This publication summarizes proceedings of a working group session convened to discuss ways to encourage efforts of colleges and universities to increase the sense of community on their campuses. It is noted that the sense of community has been diluted over the years due to the great diversity of students, both racial and cultural, that now…

A systematic study was conducted with a group of 10- to 12-year-olds using computer assisted instruction in a unit on fire which included a computer simulation of combustion. Three research questions were addressed to learn more about how the computer experience challenged the students' preconceptions: what the students thought the computer knew,…

This paper describes a strategy that was developed to help elementary school students to become more interested, involved, and accepted in school. The strategy involved a pen pal project in which students wrote to other students at an elementary school who were in other classes and at different grade levels. The idea was presented as a fun…

Present attempts to transform the meaning and purposes of schooling through a radically reformed notion of leadership are examined in this paper. The first part presents a framework that explains the mechanisms through which school cultures are produced, reproduced, and transformed: pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, and discipline. The first…

This report sets out results for Australia arising from its participation in the Second International Science Study (SISS). The focus is on Year 12 students, including those studying science and those not currently studying science. Most of the results for the science students are presented separately for those specializing in biology, chemistry,…

The questions addressed in this study concern the effects of diverse secondary school environments on Black males' perceptions of achievement and identity. Data were collected over a 2-year period utilizing discussion, observation, surveys (questions included), and interviews with Black males in five high schools in Jackson, Mississippi: (1)…

This document was prepared to help parents, educators, and concerned citizens better understand how children and adolescents actually learn. True learning involves: (1) developing a passion for learning; (2) acquiring communication skills; (3) constructing new knowledge; (4) taking part in concrete activities; and (5) developing problem solving…

The results of the OECD's recent work on the impact of new technology on educational facilities are presented in this document, which draws particularly on the proceedings of an international seminar held in Rochefort-sur-Mer, France, in June 1991. The introduction identifies issues posed by new technology to educational facility designers and…

Findings of a study that examined the role of teacher leadership in school restructuring are presented in this paper. The teacher restructuring project implemented at an elementary school in Brookline, Massachusetts, was based on team teaching, school-university collaboration, integrated remediation, and alternative teacher roles. Methodology…

Climate and culture are inherent in the life of every organization, including schools. They are difficult to define and even more difficult to change, yet any reform effort must address them first if it is to succeed. This report helps school leaders understand these crucial factors and measure their influences on the school. It offers various…

This paper describes the implementation of a reform program in a middle school located in a relatively large school district in southeastern Michigan. First, an integrative theory is presented as a promising framework for reforming middle-grade schools. The theory was developed within a social-cognitive framework that emphasizes the importance of…

Play therapy can be used to help children with disabilities to develop a sense of strength and competency. Play therapy literature concerning children with disabilities is divided into two distinct approaches: (1) the "I am" attribute which deals with emotional adjustment and helps the child to develop positive self-esteem, personal competency,…

Research that has been conducted relating to the use of graphics and how various design variables interact with graphics in influencing the process of learning within individuals is explored. Research directions and approaches that may provide enhanced guidelines for integrating graphics into future interactive learning environments are described.…

A campus climate study was conducted at Olympic College (OC), in Washington, to measure student, staff, and faculty perceptions of acceptance, support, and understanding of diverse groups on campus. Specifically, the student and staff survey instruments requested participants' level of agreement or disagreement with respect to 22 statements about…

This ethnographic study describes the engagement of black students at "Midsouth State University" (MSU) using Pace's (1978) concept of areas of effort. Further, comparisons are made between the black students at MSU and Fleming's (1984) findings concerning black student perceptions in other predominately white institutions located in the…