Presents findings made by the Campus Retention Committee at Prince George's Community College in Maryland regarding the improvement of student persistence and achievement at the college. Recommends strengthening developmental course work, mathematics education, and student support programs. Includes eight data tables and 17 references. (JDI)

The formation of cooperative programs in the French and German departments of Northern State University (South Dakota), South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota is described, including language enrollment trends, state-level expectations and directives, curriculum restructuring, introduction of new technologies, and…

Interviews with parents, teachers, and administrators of a California Bay Area elementary school explored the impact of Proposition 227 on parent involvement, student achievement, classroom instruction, and student and teacher emotions. Data indicate that an overemphasis on language of instruction overshadowed other critical issues such as…

This article evaluates 57 World Wide Web sites related to children's literature and youth-oriented library services, in categories including award-winning books; book reviews; reading and storytelling; writing resources; online children's literature; educational entertainment; and authors, publishers, and booksellers. Also included is information…

Examined teachers' beliefs on what constitutes developmentally appropriate literacy instruction. Three teachers were interviewed, observed during planning and instruction time, and asked to reflect on their beliefs and practicing. Through practice, they came to believe that appropriate literacy instruction involves a variety of instructional…

Libraries need to take a new approach to community relations and marketing to respond to demographic changes and users who need new competencies to compete in the job market. Highlights include improving access; collection development; programs and services; staff development and recruitment; funding; and evaluation of effectiveness of services.…

This article discusses the value of professional portfolios, describes how they are used in a five-year Canadian teacher preparation program, and includes criteria for assessing student teacher portfolios. Findings from two surveys of superintendents indicate that, overall, including a portfolio among an applicant's credentials can enhance the…

Considers the role of international election monitors in the political process of newly democratized countries. Discusses the responsibilities and backgrounds of election monitors and provides a personal perspective on recent elections in Haiti and Bulgaria. Briefly examines the efforts of the National Endowment for Democracy. (MJP)

Asserts that vocational education for special education students is necessary for their self-esteem, independence, and integration into society. Maintains that current training is woefully inadequate since it emphasizes manual labor skills. Advocates the use of Individual Training Plans (ITP) to coordinate vocational, social, and cognitive aspects…

Describes design and use of the PBL Evaluator, a computer-based method of evaluating dental students' clinical problem-solving skills. Analysis of Indiana University students' self-, peer, and tutor ratings for one iteration of a course in critical thinking and professional behavior shows differences in these ratings. The method is found useful…

Describes a university/high school/manufacturing company collaboration that offers alternative education to at-risk students. Students spend 20 hours per week as apprentices and 20 hours in the classroom at the manufacturing site, receiving pay for hours. After 2 successful years, they earn a high school diploma and have useful skills, improved…

Health promotion and community building strategies are increasingly using the arts as a basis for engaging young people. Through involvement in arts activity, participants have been shown to develop supportive social networks and report increased feelings of well-being (Jermyn, 2001). In particular, drama strategies and programs have been used as…

The authors identify ways to facilitate work among current and recent welfare recipients with mental illness. Their analysis assesses the relationship between a particular mental illness, depression, and labor force involvement in a statewide sample of welfare recipients, identifies the factors that promote work for those with depression, and…

Purpose: To compare in a fruitful way the human resources (HR) policies that exist in the European Union (EU) and in the United States of America (USA). Nowadays, the world is evolving to a situation in which big economic spaces like Brazil, Russia, India, China, Japan, the EU and the USA are becoming dominant. Those spaces can learn from one…

This article describes what is known from prior research about the impact of student financial aid program design, operations, and marketing on the formation of family (including parents' and children's) college-going aspirations, expectations, and plans, and the resulting college-going behaviors of potential students. The review focuses on the…