Presents adaptations and tests undertaken to allow an information retrieval system to forecast the likelihood of avalanches on a particular day; the forecasting process uses historical data of the weather and avalanche conditions for a large number of days. Describes a method for adapting these data into a form usable by a text-based IR system and…

Two experiments tested predictions of dual-route-cascaded and triangle frameworks regarding effect among first-graders of having a word in oral vocabulary prior to reading that same word. Results suggest that word-specific phonological information is represented in the reading system independently of semantic or articulatory influences. Results…

In the workplace, the test score/earnings relationship is insignificant. Job success does not involve taking tests, but pleasing employers, working well with colleagues, and being courteous, savvy, reliable, motivated, and perseverant. Test-score disparities severely affect minorities' college-admission and employment opportunities. (MLH)

Examines the relationship of 2 dimensions of the theory of social development--vulnerability and protectivity--in 2 samples, schoolchildren aged 10 to 15 (n=1,454) and addictive drug users (n=170). Finds that the most important protective factors act against substance use. Finds that among the predictors of the addicts some forms of escape from…

Studied the predictive value for success in medical school of three science tests, the secondary school matriculation examination, and learning-from-text (LFT) tasks taken by 109 Finnish medical students. Results show that the three science tests predicted medical course grades, and that the LFT tasks had predictive value for the pace of studying…

Uses the example of Vanderbilt University's predicted grade point average model to discuss the use of empirical criteria (such as high school grades and standardized test scores) within a comprehensive approach when predicting the future academic success of college applicants. (EV)

An investigation revealed that New York City educators were helping students cheat on standardized tests. Some state education officials are easing tough standards in response to student failure and public complaints. An Ohio court rejected vouchers for Cleveland's religious schools. A study showed smaller schools are better for poor and…

Explores what the typical college or university campus might look like in the early decades of the twenty-first century. Describes what might plausibly occur within the lifetimes of most readers, with emphasis on those changes most likely to be rendered feasible--and driven--by information technology advances. (EV)

Delineates significant developments in the employer- sponsored child care arena. Highlights predictions from chief executive officers of the largest employer child care organizations for the most significant trends in employer child care: slowing growth, consolidation, increasing demands for back-up care, globalization, and multi-site strategies.…

Schools can reduce their vulnerability to violence and other hazards by analyzing foreseeable risks, assembling a broad-based crisis-management team (CMT), providing adequate staff training, and developing a crisis manual. Common response problems concerning decision-making authority, communication, and performance expectations for CMTs are…

The aging of the United States population is creating an increased need for social workers and other helping professionals with training in gerontology. Recent estimates indicate that less than 3% of MSW students are enrolled in an aging concentration, as compared to 19.0% enrolled in children/youth concentrations. This study (N=126) examines…

Computer-based instruction (CBI) was considered the technological phenomenon to revolutionize education and training. Today, the Internet and computer technology are reported to have significantly altered the education landscape (Johnson & Aragon, 2002). The rapid advances in technology, the need for lifelong learning, and the growth of…

Most research on access to health care focuses on individual-level determinants such as income and insurance coverage. The role of community-level factors in helping or hindering individuals in obtaining needed care, however, has not received much attention. We address this gap in the literature by examining how neighborhood socioeconomic…

This study examined the relationship between student ratings and instructors' predictions of these ratings, taking into account other instructor, student, and course characteristics. Participants in the study were 198 instructors in the School of Education at a major teacher training college in Israel. Data corresponding to one randomly selected…

Planning for the ongoing support and maintenance that accompany implementation of new enterprise resource planning systems may be more essential to realizing benefit from a technology investment than choosing the product with the most features. (Contains 1 table.)