Surveyed college faculty, administrators, and students about their feelings on campus diversity programs and various aspects of the general educational experience and environment. Among faculty and administrators, diversity brought perceptions of better race relations, decreased educational quality, and decreased academic preparation. As black…

This case study examined 80 urban minority high school students enrolled in two career academies, highlighting the cultural and institutional processes that affected their achievement. Career academies fostered optimism among low-income minority students. Career academy students demonstrated higher graduation rates and higher college entrance…

A study involving 5,472 Israeli students (grades 4-6) found almost a third reported being emotionally maltreated by a staff member and more than a fifth reported physical maltreatment. The most vulnerable students were males, students in Arab schools, and students in schools with high rates of low-income and low-education families. (Contains…

Introduces the Preschool Outdoor Environment Assessment Scale, an instrument to measure the quality of outdoor preschool child care environments that is being field-tested at 50 sites. Describes characteristics of five domains: (1) physical environment; (2) interactions; (3) activity areas; (4) program; and (5) teacher/caregiver role. (KB)

This article discusses preparing able learners for the technologically dynamic future by teaching High Thinking Processes (HTP). It describes components of HTP and four main elements for developing HTP: well organized and justified curricula with appropriate tasks; metacognitive teaching; learning communities and challenging environments; and…

Describes a survey of post-secondary students that assessed conceptions of learning and their preparation for the workplace. Highlights include use of information technology; perceptions of the learning environment; perceptions of learning needs and skills; perceptions of the demands of the future workplace; and lifelong learning. (LRW)

Presents results from a survey of 703 full-time college faculty from 35 2-year colleges, regarding their backgrounds, interests, professional activities, and perceptions. Finds job satisfaction related to influence at the college, perceptions of students, adverse institutional finances, colleges' intellectual quality, and perception of department…

Reviews "School Matters" by Peter Mortimore, a rigorous longitudinal study of the effects of elementary schools in London. Concludes that school differences influence student development, and explores the connections between school leadership, classroom life, and student cognitive and noncognitive development. (FMW)

Presents an annotated review of human factors literature that discusses computerized environments. Topics discussed include the application of office automation practices to educational environments; video display terminal (VDT) workstations; health and safety hazards; planning educational facilities; ergonomics in computerized offices; and…

Examines the teaching and learning conditions in select developing countries. Expounds on teachers' levels of qualifications, working conditions, training, and teaching environment. Assesses pupil retention levels and achievement, curriculum, books, and materials. Compares urban and rural schools, suggests ways to improve teaching and learning…

A longitudinal study comparing Black and White students' perceptions found similar perceptions of the medical school learning environment, Black perceptions of more stress and more support, and important differences in perceptions of academic performance and well-being. (Author/MSE)

Reviews the literature on school effectiveness, school size, and school culture. Compares characteristics of urban and rural schools, examines strengths and weaknesses, and considers policy alternatives for improving their effectiveness through restructuring school governance. (FMW)

Eliot's call for differentiated schooling, which took place in the early part of this century, reflected a social philosophy which assumed that non-Anglo people, for the most part, would remain at the bottom of America's economic hierarchy. This philosophy, and the social and economic conditions that generated it, are explored. (IAH)

This article describes the development of a seven-step faculty-driven school improvement model and provides a case study of how the model is currently being implemented at a central Florida middle school. The model empowers teachers to design staff development programs based on their own needs. (IAH)

Knowledge gained from personal involvement in radical reform is used as the starting point for this discussion of various conceptual and practical aspects of change. Guidelines for considering projects of change are identified and examined in light of a particular case involving teacher education reform at a public research university. (IAH)