This study was designed to test the effects of positive teacher expectancy instructions, positive student expectancy instructions, and positive performance feedback on the academic performance of second, third, and fourth grade students. 13 teachers (5 fourth grade, 4 third grade, and 4 second grade) from a rural Texas elementary school nominated…

The paper examined occupational projections and orientations of an American Indian group, the Mississippi Choctaws. Two related problems currently facing the tribe are the low educational and skill levels of its population and persistently high unemployment rates. In 1973, permission was granted to study the occupation and residential aspirations…

As part of the development of a battery of tests to determine proficiency in black standard and nonstandard speech, the authors developed a two-part test consisting of 20 items designed to evoke a response by means of verbal and pictorial cues. Each cue was supposed to elicit a specific grammatical construction characteristic of either black…

The experiments here reported represent attempts to produce "equal status interaction" in four-man groups of junior high school boys, two of whom are white and two black. The theory is that equality is not a consequence of interracial task performance. Rather, it is likely that generally held beliefs about the differential competence of…

The research reported here examines the role of psychological expectancies as labor market supply characteristics of black and white men and women. Secondary analyses are carried out on data provided by the Survey Research Center 1972 national probability sample of adults 18 years and older drawn for the presidential election study. The report…

This discussion of research on media influences on learning describes a study of 611 students, grades three through 10, that examined user preconceptions about learning activities; examined differences in preconceptions across demographic subgroups based on gender and grade level; and interpreted results according to a theoretical learning model.…

A mechanism which differentiates lower track and regular track curriculum is the teachers' perceptions of the tracked students. This subjective method of defining the what and how of learning is a somewhat autonomous sociocultural, political process which is capable of altering general perceptions of social differentiation. (VM)

Misconceptions of giftedness and factors influencing underachievement are outlined. Key sources of vulnerability that place intellectually gifted children at risk for learning difficulties include parent/teacher expectations, the child's self-concept for academic achievement, the child's learning style and educational needs, and the potential…

Examines five factors common to elementary schools that serve as major barriers to improved reading achievement: (1) grouping practices and the inappropriate use of instructional time, (2) low teacher expectation for student learning, (3) inappropriate instructional strategies for teaching reading, (4) differential curricula, and (5) inadequate…

A study of Israeli university students' attitudes about the value and use of findings from student evaluations of instruction is reported. It examined student opinions of the relevance of certain evaluation criteria and their relationship to student characteristics and expectations. (MSE)

Examines how well structural and social psychological variables explain occupational aspirations of 447 rural, low-income southern youth during preadolescence, adolescence, and young adulthood (contacts were made in 1969, 1975, and 1979). Finds results vary from Ginsburg's theory of three stages with occupational expectations declining rapidly…

Reviews research concerning the relationship between teacher characteristics and student achievement. Concludes that teachers' expectations of their students can influence student attitudes, behavior, and, perhaps, achievement. (FL)

This monograph addresses key issues in the current discussion between accreditation and the federal government relative to accountability and higher education. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) now being discussed in Congress is driving this issue to the top of the academic agenda. The paper describes some of the accountability…

With real-world examples from actual schools, this book illustrates how to nurture a culture of continuous improvement, meet the needs of individual students, foster an environment of high expectations, and meet the requirements of NCLB. Each component of the Data-Driven Instructional Leadership (DDIS) model represents several branches of…

The development of an assessment tool to measure the quality of instruction is necessary to provide an informative accountability system in education. Such a tool should be capable of characterizing the quality of teaching and learning that occurs in actual classrooms, schools, or districts. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development…