Describes how focus groups that included 32 special and regular education teachers were used in conjunction with questionnaires to evaluate and revise a Collaborative Teaching Master's Program. The use of focus groups to complement the use of questionnaires in the revision and improvement of programs is discussed. (Author/CR)

Individual and focus group interviews with 49 third-grade regular and special education teachers revealed that teachers value control over their decisions on grouping for reading instruction. Regular teachers reported they preferred whole class and mixed ability grouping arrangements for social and academic reasons, whereas special educators…

Study used focus group interviews with ninth graders to help develop a nutrition education video and teacher's guide for Florida high schools. Students believed a video would be successful, expressed interest in 10 nutrition topics, recommended using teen actors with varying body types, and suggested no more than three or four topics per video.…

Seven intensive interviews with female college students at Roseworthy College, a rural agricultural college in South Australia, revealed that the college's historic rural masculine tradition and misogynist social environment restrict women to narrow sexual-subject positions: acting like a male; tutor/cleaner/mother/cook; "slut" versus…

An educator and an architect discuss school design considerations that include developing a strong learning plan, a strong concept of community, and architecture that supports both. Involving the community and students in planning instills a sense of ownership and pride that is more conducive to learning and school safety than tough standards and…

Studies learners' second-language (L2) oral proficiency, incorporating an interview, a narration, and a read-aloud. Results show that the nature of the L2 oral construct is not constant. The article concludes that proficiency researchers should use dimensions empirically derived according to the specific elicitation task and audience. (53…

Presents listening comprehension strategies used by students learning French. Through interviews, students described their conscious use of strategies in different contexts. All evidenced a familiarity with metacognitive, cognitive, and socioaffective techniques. (50 references) (Author/CK)

Argues for the inclusion of adult second-language (L2) learners in teacher education programs. The article offers reasons why they should be included, suggests means of tapping their expertise, and describes four ways to bring learners and student teachers together in mutually beneficial ways in their teacher education program. (28 references)…

Studied working conditions of female domestic workers in Dakar, Senegal, using group interviews. Found that most leave rural families for economic reasons. Village solidarity networks help find work, maintain rural norms, and provide support. Few employers provide written contracts, medical insurance, or adequate wages. Heavy work responsibilities…

A 1996 project examined transition from "special schools" to postsecondary education in the United Kingdom. Students were interviewed concerning their feelings about their change of circumstance and environment, and parents were surveyed about their optimal scenario for the change. A mentoring model to facilitate the transition and a…

Describes a needs assessment conducted at Oregon State University libraries to guide the design, content, and development of a natural resources digital library. Highlights include user profile; identification of questions; face-to-face interviews; workshops with users; current sources for relevant information; users' information needs; ability to…

In this interview, a female Hispanic principal discusses the challenges, resources, and support involved in implementing a two-way bilingual immersion model in a Hispanic community in Albuquerque (New Mexico). Program success resulted primarily from supportive parents, faculty, and superintendent and the principal's leadership style, which is…

Describes a project whereby preservice teachers and young adolescents collaborate to interview local citizens who experienced life during World War II. Details the project stages including learning through oral history, preparing, interviewing, writing, celebrating, and evaluating. Notes how the project increased student interest in history and…

We analyzed the role that psychosocial empowerment and social support factors play in the employment status of immigrants who participate in job-readiness programs financed by the European Social Funds and the Welfare Services of Andalusia, a region in the south of Spain. The goal of these programs is to find new ways to improve immigrants'…

We examined contextual factors that may affect the impact of physical discipline on later child behavior problems among high-risk Black and White families. We examined race, parental warmth, and early child problems as potential moderators of the discipline-behavior problem link. The sample included 442 White and Black children and their…