This study tested the effectiveness of the cloze procedure, used aurally, to teach listening comprehension in English as a foreign language (EFL). Subjects were the classes of two teachers (n=74, n=75); one teacher taught using the aural cloze procedure, and the other taught using conventional listening instruction techniques. In aural cloze…

In response to the increased use of the Internet for information access and dissemination, and the explosion in the availability of resources which may be of interest to end-users, a number of services are now available which provide access to selected and evaluated resources. Many existing Internet search tools are inadequate due to the high rate…

This study examined the differences in reading and mathematics achievement and the discipline records of eighth grade students who lived with both of their biological parents and those who did not. Participating were 199 eighth grade middle school students in rural Georgia. The 103 students in the traditionally parented group came from their…

Despite the large number of children in stepfamilies, there is little research on the implications of large families for child well-being. This paper used three traditionally representative data sets--the National Commission on Children Survey (NCC), the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) and the National Survey of Children…

A study was undertaken at Arizona's Pima Community College (PCC) to determine the extent to which entering students took writing, reading, and mathematics placement tests and followed placement recommendations, as well as the relationship between the completion of recommended courses and subsequent academic performance. The study sample consisted…

The California Community College's (CCC) funding over the past two decades was examined in order to assist the 2005 Task Force of the Chancellor's Consultation Council develop strategies to address the challenges of the future. Findings comparing 1995 to 1975 indicated that: (1) CCC general revenues have tripled, but this increase is less than…

Solano Community College (California) developed interdisciplinary, team-taught classes. The program included three classroom components administered in each of the six semesters to both program-supported integrated classes and to content area control class sections: a standardized reading test, an essay writing test, and a student survey. Subjects…

In December 1993, the University of Florida issued a report that found that the vast majority of students who had taken chemistry courses in dual enrollment programs at a community college and who did not meet standard admissions requirements were required to retake their courses at the University. In response to the report, the state's Community…

A study examined which phonological skills, as primary skills, can more effectively be developed and lead to decoding skills in low-skilled kindergartners: (1) segmentation/blending, or (2) rhyming/first sound identification? Low-skilled kindergartners (n=61), who scored less than 4 items correctly in 3 out of 5 measures, were randomly assigned to…

This paper describes the findings of various researchers on the role of faculty, learners, administrators, and technology in the effectiveness of distance learners. New technology and learners' characteristics have contributed to the effectiveness of distance education. The planning and organizing of instructional materials for distance education…

By offering benefits that assist workers in attaining a better balance between work and family, employers can improve the quality of work produced for their companies and the quality of life for employees. This report discusses the benefits of dependent care programs, describes the process involved in selecting appropriate programs, and discusses…

Comparisons were conducted to assess the impact of levels of communication apprehension (CA) on students in a traditional hybrid basic course against students placed in freshmen interest group (FIG) settings. This investigation assessed the impact of the FIG classroom at an open admissions 4-year college on reduction of communication apprehension…

This report contains fiscal year (FY) 1998 data on employee compensation in the 49 public community colleges in the Illinois Community College System. First, data tables are provided on contractual base salaries for full-time faculty, salary rates for part-time faculty, full-time faculty overload, and summer term faculty. Next, salary schedules…

This study used a Vygotskian perspective to compare child rearing values and beliefs of parents, especially in regard to self-directed activities of children, in the United States, Russia, and Estonia. Participating were 60 families, evenly divided by society and social class (middle or working class), each with a child between 28 and 45 months…

A study of social and cultural factors that affect the appropriateness of verbal expressions in different languages focuses on the comparative uses of three common expressions ("thank you, I'm sorry, excuse me" and their equivalents) in English and Chinese. First, the usage patterns of the three expressions are explained briefly, and the…