At the close of each fiscal year, the 50 public community colleges of the Illinois Community College System (ICCS) are required to submit detailed student records to the ICCS Board providing data on annual enrollments and completions for credit-generating students. Highlights for fiscal year (FY) 1993 include the following: (1) ICCS institutions…

In 1990, a study was conducted at Snead State Junior College (SSJC) of students who were enrolled at the college in fall 1989 or winter 1990 but did not return in the subsequent quarter. Of 661 students identified as nonreturning, 489 were surveyed by telephone to determine their reasons for not returning. Demographic data on these students were…

Student involvement theory defines student involvement as the amount of physical and psychological energy that a student devotes to the academic experience. Research on student involvement conducted at community colleges and universities has shown that the quality of time spent was a more important factor in explaining student achievement than…

Teacher-student classroom relationships and behaviors at the University of Alaska's Fairbanks campus are compared with instruction by audioconference and computer conference, with attention to instruction of Native Alaskan students. Classroom behaviors of Natives and non-Natives are contrasted, particularly with regard to participation and signs…

To examine the hypotheses that differences exist between Indians and non-Indians in the nonverbal regulation of conversation and that these differences cause functional difficulties in classroom interaction, the study quantitatively examined differences in the nonverbal repertoires of students and teachers in an American Indian school system and a…

Student rights to freedom of speech and the legitimate degrees of control available to principals are discussed in this paper. An overview of pertinent federal litigation focuses on two landmark cases involving oral and written speech, respectively: Bethel School District #403 v. Fraser; and Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. A conclusion is…

Focusing on children's developmental use of written language in kindergarten and first grade, this report looks at connections between the social and academic dimensions of classroom life. The first section examines literacy as an aspect of growing up and becoming a member of society. By highlighting the social and academic divisiveness schooling…

Appropriate school facility design promotes a balance between student freedom and control. This report evaluates research on architectural approaches affecting student control and offers design recommendations. Since 1960, school discipline and vandalism problems have exploded. Senator Birch Bayh's committee reported that certain crimes are…

This study investigated the types of tactics and strategies students used in working with computer simulations and examined if the skills acquired when using the computer simulation could be applied in other settings. Sixth grade students (N=50) from three different schools participated in the study and were observed over a period of six weeks.…

Cross-school observation, which is part of a joint project involving a college education department and two large suburban high schools, is described. The Collaborative Project for School Improvement (CPSI) involves a joint steering committee and joint inservice sessions, as well as shared resources and a student teaching center. Program planning…

Several central concerns of Canadian multiculturalism: promotion of the principles of equality, individual acceptance, and understanding and respect for diversity are quite common to the social studies area in particular. The paper examines the quest to avoid emphases on human differences and instead to stress commonalities. This rethinking of…

Through a literature review and classroom observations, several variables affecting the quality of education were studied, focusing on processes related to student placement in special education and to instruction after placement. The study found that: (1) A dynamic interaction is needed among the referral, assessment, placement, and instruction…

The Community Integrated Training and Education (C.I.T.E.) program, sponsored by the Hamilton County (Ohio) Board of Mental Retardation, is a support program for county families with mentally retarded children, aged 6 months to 22 years. The program is structured to provide education and training for families who have decided against residential…

This paper examines the key differences between elementary school culture and high school culture as experienced by a group of Quebec youngsters making the transition from elementary school to high school. It presents a selective summary of a major research study that focused on the fundamental differences between elementary school student life…

This comparative evaluation of the differing educational systems in North America, Europe, the USSR, and Japan examines the goals and values of these systems. It is pointed out that Americans value equality, practicality, and utility and that they are both individualistic and suspicious of government authority. Contrasts between these values and…