A scientific, rule-governed approach to solving problems suggests the following assumptions: we need different rules for different purposes; rules are grounded in values; the origins and applications of rules are often misunderstood; personal experience and idea popularity are unreliable; and all truths are tentative. Each assumption is related to…

Examines the range of forces affecting the supply and demand side of adoption. Maintains that demographic trends and social, technological, and economic factors bearing on adoption seeking and relinquishment will be critical factors, with important implications for adoption policy and practice. (Author/KB)

Children in out-of-home care risk losing contact with parents and others despite emphasis of the Children Act 1989. Contact is lower for children in foster care and as family support diminishes. Contact after adoption increases as methods of indirect contact developed by adoption agencies are implemented; lost contact for all children can be…

Describes a survey on factors influencing the use of computer mediated communication (CMC) by teachers in secondary schools in Brussels (Belgium). Results show predictors of CMC use included language teaching (due to a CMC project oriented toward language teachers), the willingness of teachers to adopt technological innovations, and perceived CMC…

Investigated differences in normative and subjective outcomes for group of adolescent children born in India and adopted by American families. Found that although these adoptees could be considered unsuccessful compared to accepted standards of adjustment because 46 percent were identified as having special needs, in fact the children were pleased…

U.S. metric conversion efforts are reviewed as they have affected education. Education system benefits and costs are estimated for three possible system conversion plans. The soft-conversion-to-metric plan, which drops all inch-pound instruction, appears to provide the largest net benefits. The primary benefit is in class time saved. (SLD)

Examined the pregnancy resolutions of 99 women to develop descriptive profiles of women who choose either adoption or parenting, to examine the relationship between sociodemographic variables and women's decisions, and to explore the impact of biological fathers on pregnancy resolutions. Found a clear contrast between women who choose adoption and…

Describes and compares federal guidelines and state statutes establishing rules for voluntary agreements between birth parents/other relatives and adoptive parents for enforceable post-adoption contact. Concludes that adoption with contact is a measured response to strengths and limitations of 20th-century adoption law, balancing children's needs…

Examined the multidimensional nature of social disclosure patterns of 44 couples who had adopted at least 1 child during the previous decade. Identified three main types of patterns varying in open communication patterns, social networks, internal/external family distinctions, motives, and tactics: advocates, moderates, and reluctants. Concluded…

Humor and fun, although essential factors to emotional health, are two of the most neglected aspects of human service practice and education. This article is an attempt to provide human service professionals and educators with an understanding of and some practical guidelines for the uses of humor and fun. (Author/BF)

The plight of Africa's AIDS orphans has reached crisis proportions, and the international community is beginning to mobilize at the family, community, national, and international levels. Despite these encouraging efforts, the response is inadequate, and increased attention and action are needed. The authors suggest that international adoption,…

Traditional legal and social forces have hindered the adoption of children by gay and lesbian individuals and couples. Using a convenience sample drawn from gay and lesbian support groups and Internet sites, this exploratory study examines adoptive families with gay and lesbian parents in terms of family functioning capabilities, child's behavior,…

In this article, the author describes the one 50-minute lunch period for all students, teachers, and staff members at James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. The one lunch period, which began in 2000, allows students to eat in certain areas of the school, including classrooms, hallways, and resource areas. Teachers use the lunch…

This paper examines the implications of farmers' propensity to discontinue the adoption of agricultural technologies in southwestern Nigeria. This is predicated on the fact that extension education process should be proactive in addressing farmers in order to sustain the adoption process. Empirical studies looking at diffusion processes from an…

Adoptive children face some different developmental concerns than their non-adoptive peers. Educators need to understand that certain lessons and assignments can affect adoptive and non-adoptive children very differently. In this article, the author offers several classroom strategies for adopted students. An autobiography assignment, potentially…