This study aimed to describe, compare, and analyze the use of specific types of data utilized in decision-making by administrators of more and less effective community colleges. The study utilized a modified version of Kim Cameron's "Assessment of Organizational Effectiveness on Higher Education" to measure and rank community college…

The results from high-stakes assessments have often been used to merely grade and rank schools and students. But a new trend is emerging, according to this brief. Educators are beginning to see the power of using assessment data to improve instruction. This brief discusses ways to use data to improve instruction at the school, classroom, and…

A study examined the impact of agricultural education and training on farm business practice and the influence of training on changes to farming practice in Australia. Data were from an additional set of questions on the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 1993-94 Agricultural Financial Survey and an interview survey of 65 Tasmanian farmers. Findings…

Local history/genealogy collections are found in approximately 60% of Ohio public libraries. These collections range from fully established large collections to those in the process of being organized. A survey was made of 140 of these public libraries to determine how the collections are utilized. Areas such as organization, management, policies…

The invasion of the microcomputer technology into the schools has implications that permeate every aspect of school management or instruction. The modern school administrator has a responsibility to foresee and direct orderly change. (AH)

Advocates that in a time of increasing amounts of information, universities must teach their students appropriate ways to find, read, and understand the information they need. (MKM)

Research on the effectiveness and use of college students' evaluation of faculty is reviewed. It is suggested that the research shows student feedback has a minimal effect on instructional improvement at the university level. (MH)

Describes a program developed to expose college chemistry students to some of the more modern information retrieval tools, as computerized online databases. Following classroom lectures and discussions, students individually develop a search statement relevant to their own research needs and run it in the Chemical Abstracts files. (BT)

Argues that dental schools are the logical location for development of valid, reliable, and acceptable health services research methods and databases, and describes development of an insurance claims database to demonstrate the types of research possible, as well as weaknesses and shortcomings of pure administrative data. Considers implications…

Describes the EDUCATE program (End-User Courses in Information Access through Communication Technology), funded by the European Union for the education of information users. The aim is to produce a self-paced user education course in the selection and use of information sources found on the World Wide Web. (Author/LRW)

Thirty-six mothers of children with autism rated videotapes of behavior from young children later diagnosed with autism who were then assigned to a diagnostic or a no-diagnostic information group. No differences were found on overall ratings of intentionality. Mothers in the diagnostic information group rated stereotyped behavior as less…

A study involving 574 children (ages 5-17) who received mental health services examined whether caregiver variables predicted child mental health service utilization patterns, particularly caregiver strain. Results found caregiver strain to be associated with the combination of services used, sequencing of services, gaps in care, and cost of…

Discussion of problem solving in education focuses on 19 statements about problem solving that have implications for the educational use of computers. Topics discussed include thinking processes; groups and cooperative learning; transferring knowledge to other domains; short term memory and chunking; tutoring; simulations; and programing. (38…

Students' ability to access or utilize their intellectual resources as a function of many factors studied in the research, is discussed. Organization and awareness are the two most important factors in students' ability to access knowledge, strategy, or disposition. A synthesis of the research is presented. (SLD)

Describes a study that was conducted to determine how high school students would solve an information problem: specifically, what prior learning students had about information seeking and use, and how they would use that prior learning. Highlights include group work; topic selection; and reasons for unsuccessful use of libraries, including…