Describes the creation and testing of an online prototype, end-user database selection tool developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Discusses identifying computer-assisted techniques for guiding users to the most suitable databases for their information needs; improving user services; and improving ease of access to…

A study of program review at 156 community colleges shows that it is widely used for accountability and program improvement; that substantial use is made of results; and that key leadership support, organizational communication, a clear understanding of purposes, and frequent action on program review recommendations at all organizational levels…

Discusses the commonality of administrative issues facing undergraduate psychology departments and how consultants respond to these issues. Analyzes 20 department evaluations done by consultants. Most issues and recommendations fall into three categories: requirements for the major, physical and financial resources, and curriculum objectives. (MJP)

Goal card sort and ranking task was given to middle school teachers and a sample of sixth- through eighth-grade students to generate data relevant to revising goals of an advisory program. Study categories included advocacy, community, skills, invigoration, academic and administrative. Community and advocacy goals received highest student ranking,…

Concerns about health care costs and quality are focusing increasing attention on physicians and their continuing medical education (CME). These concerns have produced several calls for "a new definition," "a new vision," "repositioning," "reinventing," and "transforming" CME. However, differences in conceptualizations and vocabularies have…

The first meetings with a family, including the first Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting, set the tone for the family's emerging relationship with early intervention professionals. The IFSP meeting and document are a vehicle for parents and professionals to partner together to target outcomes that are meaningful to the family and to…

Many children in the foster care system are at great risk of academic difficulties and school failure. The purpose of this study was to bring together individuals within the foster care system to discuss the challenges to obtaining an appropriate education for foster youths and how best to provide the supports and structures needed for educational…

Distance education, due to recent technological innovations, can provide almost the same instructional contact and interaction for the student as traditional settings. The growth of distance learning opportunities has allowed students to access courses and degree programs at their convenience. Educational institutions are creating new approaches…

The attractiveness of computer-based tests (CBTs) is due largely to their capability to expand the ways we conduct testing. A relatively unexplored application, however, is actively using the computer to reduce construct-irrelevant variance while a test is being administered. This investigation introduces the effort-monitoring CBT, in which the…

Objectives: To provide recommendations that will build a better foundation for research on youth smoking cessation. Methods: The Youth Tobacco Collaborative Cessation panel evaluated youth tobacco cessation literature and convened meetings to reach consensus. Results: Methodological issues include design, recruitment and retention, follow-up,…

Given the frequency with which the "system of least prompts" is used, it is important to identify procedures to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. This study compared effects of a traditional least to most procedure (TLM) and a revised least to most procedure (RLM) on skill acquisition in individuals with moderate and severe…

At least 5,000 public schools have failed to meet their academic achievement targets for at least five consecutive years. The underlying causes of such failure are usually a combination of weak leadership, inadequate skill levels among teachers, and insufficient high-quality teaching materials. In 2009, the National Governors Association Center…

Across the country, states and school districts are focusing on turning around the nation's lowest-performing schools. Unprecedented federal Race to the Top and School Improvement Grant funding accompanied by a more prescriptive approach for using the funds has raised the profile of turnaround efforts. This focus on school turnaround, while…

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in computer systems design and related services--a field dependent on high-level math and problem-solving skills--are projected to grow by 45% between 2008 and 2018. Further, more than one in four (26%) of all new jobs created in the U.S. economy during this time will be in the healthcare and…

The author has over the past several years been involved with Hawai'i's Kamehameha Schools on a project called the Hawaiian Cultural Influences in Education (HCIE) study. Kamehameha Schools was established to provide educational opportunities to improve the capability and well being of people of Hawaiian ancestry. In this paper the author…