Descriptive survey research methodology was used to explore and describe factors--demographic, influential, or informational--that influenced student enrollment decisions in entry-level Welding Technology Program (WTP) courses. The target population included 38 students enrolled in the first semester courses offered by the WTP at Dona Ana…

The suggestions in this booklet address the needs of children between the ages 4-12. The booklet shows how museums can inform and inspire and build skills for both classroom and lifelong learning. Suggestions are given for ways to make family visits to museums a special opportunity to spend time together in a rich learning environment. Museums…

This book provides guidance in addressing the special needs of Latino children and adolescents, offering a comprehensive examination of four contextual levels: the microsystem level of family; the mesosystem and exosystem level of school and community; and the macrosystem level of cultural practices. Culturally responsive treatment strategies are…

Noting an increasing consensus that meeting care and education goals for infants and toddlers is a societal as well as a family responsibility, this book provides an "educare" curriculum for infants and toddlers, emphasizing both education and care perspectives. Part 1 of the book provides basic principles of good infant and toddler…

This paper reports the outcomes of a study that investigated the effects of family conflict on childhood functioning. The sample consisted of 95 children (ages 3-17) applying for clinical services at the Yale Child Study Center Outpatient Clinic. Forty-nine children were from families in which the custodial parents were currently married, 33 were…

Family connections, traditional activities, educational goals, and fatalism are themes running throughout research and published observations about Appalachia. Information from 3 days of interviews with the author's grandmother, an 87-year-old Appalachian woman, is compared to these common research themes. The interviewee's experiences concerning…

When the identities of youth of color have been studied (especially African Americans), several problematic practices have been employed. Racially, African American youth have been compared to a "standard" of White American youth. From the perspective of social class, poor African American youth have been compared to the…

A study qualitatively analyzed the recollections of nine women concerning their early language and literacy development as it related to the family, cultural, school, and community experiences and contexts. Subjects were enrolled in a graduate education seminar in language development, ranged in age from 24 to 48 years, and had diverse…

This pamphlet discusses the influence parents have on the attitudes of their daughters toward mathematics and ways parents can nurture math talent. Recommendations for parents include: (1) at-home activities that involve hands-on problem solving, such as blocks and tinker toys; (2) engage in daily math routines such as determining the appropriate…

This study identified predictors of academic performance in college algebra for postdevelopmental students at a predominantly black college. Questionnaires were randomly distributed to 175 students who were enrolled in college Algebra I and II. The sample included 142 students (classified as developmental on college entry by their own reports) who…

This book explores the conceptual and historical bases for examining creativity, cognitive functioning and creativity, cultural influences on creativity, research methodologies for examining creativity, assessment of creativity, and effectiveness of major creativity training models. Chapters include: (1) "Issues in Studying Creativity in Youth"…

Contains four articles exploring the relationship between aging and family life and myths about treatment of the aged. Offers psychological perspectives of autonomy and interdependence in the adult family, while examining research needs of the frail elderly and demonstrating the important role of intrafamily resource transfers. (RC)

Research on independent learning motivation conducted through in-depth interviews with correspondence students is compared with what is known about the motivation and behavior of people who pursue leisure interests independently: deciding what to study, what resources are needed, and when the learning objectives have been achieved. (MSE)

This study compared causal perceptions of teachers and pupils regarding pupils' success or failure on a test. Teachers attributed success to themselves, to home conditions, and to effort on the part of the student. They attributed failure to the pupils' lack of preparation, low ability, and test difficulty. The perceptions of the pupils were…

Among 41 Mexican immigrant women interviewed soon after giving birth, everyday pregnancy care (often family-influenced) guided maternal behaviors in pregnancy and positively affected birth weight. Interviewees had positive birth outcomes despite low incomes, low education levels, and lack of access to medical care. Discusses implications for…