This paper explicates methods to motivate African American students to exhibit attitudes and behaviors that are conducive to high academic achievement. In particular, it argues that educational models must acknowledge and correct students' sense of academic futility. Academic futility measures student perceptions of the extent to which factors in…

This study, which examined the curricular decision making of student teachers, links research on the socialization of preservice teacher education with work focusing on socialization in the workplace. Interviews were conducted with four student teachers during their student teaching experience and 1 year after it. Curriculum materials used by the…

The effects of students' preferred learning styles on perceived individual academic achievement, attitudes toward the learning environment, and course completion rates were examined in a distance education setting. Nine female graduate education students attended weekly classes on a Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, and 17 female graduate…

Now that the State Board of Education has adopted new regulations requiring all Pennsylvania school districts to develop a strategic plan, it seems useful to describe the role of demographic information in that planning process. This Pennsylvania Educational Policy Studies (PEPS) report provides a rationale for considering information regarding…

Family literacy programs must acknowledge the family as the primary place of learning, and developers of family literacy programs and curricula must focus on the family unit as a whole, building upon the cultural and knowledge capital of the entire family and acknowledging gender and age power relationships within the family. Educators must…

Building a community of thinkers is a goal for education. In a world in which technology provides a means to communicate quickly and efficiently, educators need to develop models for the use of technology as an integral part of building an environment for teachers to thinking critically and creatively. Technology was used to help create a…

As the number and complexity of required technology-related competencies grow, basic teacher education media courses need to develop alternatives to instructor-led lecture-based formats in order to maintain essential components of course content while incorporating new content in expanding technologies. Creating technology-mediated instructional…

In order to be effective, instruction must be more than tailored to the individual: it must be a part of a larger system designed to support individualized learning. An effective individualized instructional environment is a dynamic system; it involves instructors who embrace the concept of individualizing instruction, and provides guidance to…

The schooling gap between Hispanics and other ethnic groups contributes to the depressed economic condition and social status of this minority. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between teacher expectations and student performance for Hispanic students. "Teacher expectations" refers to the level of academic…

This paper focuses on the Purdue University (Indiana) Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) experience in producing distance education over the past 20 years. Discussion includes the role of several educational theories in the formalization of distributed learning; the importance of effective communication in delivery of distance education;…

This paper compares the two educational sectors in Romania K-12 schools and higher education seeking to understand why reform in the K-12 educational system has failed while higher education reform has been more rapid and effective. The analysis uses concepts from U.S. organizational theory, such as school climate, school culture, and permanently…

A state-by-state survey of technology in the schools was conducted during the spring of 1998. Responses were received from district technology coordinators in more than 1,990 school districts out of approximately 3,668 that were sent surveys in the following 21 states that achieved response rates of at least 40% of their districts: Alaska,…

The mission of social work is to help people meet their basic needs and enhance their well-being. Through a strong empowerment orientation, the profession can aid people vulnerable to oppression as a result of racism, discrimination, and poverty. Social work can be a powerful force in advancing the practice of Indigenous education. Social workers…

A postcolonial analysis suggests the need for a new theory of education that supports a model of genuinely bicultural education in New Zealand. Ways in which mainstream education might be enhanced by Maori pedagogies are explored through interviews with a preservice primary school teacher of Maori descent. In the area of rules of practice, Maori…

Using the High School and Beyond dataset, this report assesses the importance of social capital in determining academic outcomes of Latino youth. An introduction explains J. S. Coleman's definitions of financial, human, and social capital in the student's environment, social capital being the norms, social networks, and social relationships that…