Categorizes beliefs toward art education that prospective teachers bring to certification programs and how these beliefs change. Using "Eisner Art Education Belief Index" survey data, discovers four main themes that emphasize the importance of interaction between beliefs of preservice teachers and subject matter in creating values prospective…

Surveyed 196 medical college seniors about changes in the health-care system. Of the respondents, 79% believed that cost reduction rather than quality of care is the primary consideration behind recent changes, and 78% thought that managed-care organizations hamper physician ability in rendering optimal care. Discusses implications for curricular…

Identifies barriers to the recruitment and retention of Pacific Islanders in higher education by using student enrollment and matriculation data and information from student surveys and focus groups. Describes a program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to recruit and retain Pacific Islanders. (SLD)

A survey of 84 college students revealed positive perceptions of community service but not of its inclusion in college courses. Factors influencing participation in service included desire to help, self-efficacy, and the costs of time and interpersonal conflicts. Framing community service as service learning might help students recognize the…

Evaluates efficiency of a sample of Spanish secondary schools, focusing on the measurement model's theoretical specification and the "ex post" analysis of results. Highlights characteristics that differentiate the most efficient schools from the least efficient. Stresses the importance of employing information supplied by both…

Asks students to rate their attention to 29 syllabus items before receiving their introductory psychology syllabus, and again at the end of the semester. Notes differences in responses for first-semester students, continuing students, and nontraditional students, as well as for students as a whole. (DSK)

Analysis of questionnaires completed by 715 undergraduate psychology students identified four patterns associated with writing term papers: (1) a minimal-drafting strategy; (2) an outline-and-develop strategy; (3) a detailed-planning strategy; and (4) a "think-then-do" strategy. Detailed-planning and think-then-do strategies appeared to result in…

Presents information on a three-year study exploring the antecedents of school-based adjustment among 134 inner-city high school students. Findings indicted that freshmen-year attendance and demographic indices were most strongly predictive for those who dropped out. Among students who remained in school, freshman academic success was robustly…

This study evaluated course Web sites designed to enhance traditional classroom instruction in computer science courses. Examination of student responses to an author-created survey and students' final grades found students reacted positively to the course Web site on the survey and showed statistically significant final grade improvement after…

Assesses whether second-level schools in Ireland are equally effective regarding examination performance, absenteeism, and potential dropouts, using multivariate analyses of data from 15- and 16-year-olds in 116 schools. Absenteeism and potential dropout rates are lower in schools that enhance pupils' academic progress. (Contains 22 references.)…

Evaluated psychometric properties of the Aggression Scale, a self-report measure of aggressive behaviors for middle school students. Found that reliability scores were high. Found no significant variations by gender, ethnicity, or grade level. Also found stability through 2 years, and positive association with independent ratings of student…

Significant differences were found in perceptions of friendship when 121 adolescents with mild mental retardation (MR) in special education and 189 students studying in self-contained classrooms in regular schools were compared with 50 teacher reports. Students with MR in special schools reported having few friends, while teachers estimated these…

Investigated the attitudes and opinions of students in grades five through 12 with and without learning disabilities regarding the use of computers for school-related work. Results of pre- and post-tests and attitude surveys support the notion that students with disabilities could be successfully included in computer-based instruction in general…

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) produces various environmental materials for preschool, elementary, and secondary students and sponsors outdoor education programs. An MDC-sponsored survey of students in grades 6 and 12 found moderate levels of environmental knowledge, with weaknesses in the areas of biodiversity, wetlands, and…

Study examined the predictive association for both global and academic self esteem among students ages 9-13 in a large sample of New Zealanders. Results showed levels of global self esteem significantly predicted adolescent reports of problem eating, suicidal ideation, and multiple compromising behaviors. Implications are discussed for the…