Explores teachers' tendency to adopt the "average" student as a reference point on personal and interpersonal dimensions of classroom life. Suggests that while reliance on this average might seem a solution to the problems of organizing learning for large groups, at a personal level, average children may be experiencing school life as a mere…

Reports on a study of the factors upon which teachers base student evaluations among 77 Italian students and 5 teachers. Presents a two-level model illustrating seven major topics used by teachers for their evaluations. Includes two tables, two figures, and two appendixes illustrating the model. (CFR)

Examined two questions related to adolescents' perceived control, conceptualized as agentic representation persons construct for themselves: (1) To what extent is perceived control specific to particular domains? and (2) How many dimensions are involved in perceived control? Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a two-factor structure: an…

Reports research on teachers' beliefs about children's development. Discusses (1) teachers' estimates of ages at which children succeed on tasks, (2) teachers' ability to engage in task analysis, (3) their view of children's error, and (4) their view of developmental accounts. Concludes that good teachers' beliefs provide an inadequate basis for…

The construct of performance expectations provides a way to organize knowledge about classroom instruction and learning. Areas of expectations that merit research include teacher knowledge of subject, teacher decisions about curriculum content and time allocation, classroom management, changes in expectations between teachers, task variables, and…

The fact that student protests over racial issues have arisen early in the academic year and at a time when most college administrators affirm protesters' goals (improved minority recruitment and services) may be partly attributable to students' rising expectations. Some protests are a result of overt racial incidents, often in fraternities. (MSE)

In this study of 186 elementary school teachers, discriminant function analyses of peer ratings yielded membership in high, medium, and low perceived effectiveness groups based on measures of self-efficacy, standards and expectations for students, responsibility for student behavior, and resistance to teaching handicapped pupils. Implications for…

Presents workable strategies for observing, tracking, and reporting student progress in the elementary writing classroom. The article offers tips and techniques for ongoing evaluation (observing writers as they write, conferencing, and student self-evaluation). It also includes a teacher-guided tour of a real Vermont student's writing portfolio.…

Interviews with 14 social work students with disabilities and 12 practicum directors gathered information about field education expectations, special and general considerations for placement, agency response to request for placement, school response to agencies, student response to placement, factors promoting student acceptance in the field, and…

A survey of 144 gifted girls and 140 gifted boys in grades 6-8 examined their expectations about future education, career, and family; attitudes about school and school achievement; and concept of gender differences. Differences were found between boys and girls in all three areas. Boys believed their wives should not pursue a career once children…

A study of 95 high school seniors in Brisbane, Australia, investigated the relationships between students' perceptions of 3 different universities and their expectation of enrollment in business administration programs in each. Variables considered included students' level of information about the institution and the attitudes of significant…

Drawing on surveys of Peruvians, a discussion of Peruvian university education looks at how realistic students' expectations of the economic benefits of university attendance are. Differences in perceptions among ethnic groups (Spanish-speaking and Quechua-speaking) were examined, and implications for social integration in such a society are…

Maintains that student reading often is seen as a major component of university study, yet the amount actually undertaken frequently falls short of teacher expectations. Describes the use of course readers, or teacher-compiled reading packets, in geography courses and provides a set of recommendations regarding the approach. (CFR)

Analysis of data from 11 interviews with parents of children with disabilities, 3 focus groups, and parent action research logs yielded 5 themes: parents felt ill-prepared to help children with homework; parents wanted more information about teachers' expectations; parents wanted individualized homework assignments; parents valued family…

Discusses assessment of student learning and teacher autonomy in the United Kingdom, describing two projects in which collaborating teachers developed criteria for assessing student performance. These criteria, compared to those devised by examination boards, indicated a need for better, quicker feedback, pupil self-assessment, and teacher…