Over the past 20 years there have been numerous studies and frequent warnings about violent television programs and movies arousing young people to act violently. Researchers have pointed to many hours of viewing excessive violence as a potential contributor to violent behavior by youngsters. This digest examines evidence of violence in television…

A study focused on researchers' use of the English-Language Background Questionnaire (EBQ) portion of the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), the results of which were released in 1993. Data were gathered by surveying NALS data users about how they have used the EBQ data, their perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the EBQ, and their…

This paper presents a case for the development and support of a computer-based interactive multimedia program for teaching analysis in community college architecture design programs. Analysis in architecture design is an extremely important strategy for the teaching of higher-order thinking skills, which senior schools of architecture look for in…

State-sponsored, tax-advantaged college savings programs (prepaid tuition plans, college savings trusts, and college savings bonds) have proliferated since 1994. This study, which examined 160 documents from 44 states, focuses on their effect on policy, and on the debate over public-versus-private responsibility to pay for higher education, as…

Recommends greater cooperation, especially concerning research, among political science, telecommunications, speech communications, and rhetoric. Discovers a useful paradigm in the combination of political content analysis and rhetorical analysis. Briefly discusses works that have synthesized these two approaches. (MJP)

Describes a college-level political science assignment where students access the full text of a White House or federal agency briefing; evaluate its content; and comment on the interpretation of the information in the national press. Includes a step-by-step guide to gathering and analyzing the information. (MJP)

Recommends incorporating a thorough analysis of popular music into the teaching of music appreciation. Considers moving beyond the traditional approach (chronological progression beginning with the medieval period) to include innovative comparisons of different styles, instruments, and historical periods. Includes suggested strategies, activities,…

Presents a lesson plan designed to increase students' participation in the electoral process and help them to create their own political opinions. Students examine political advertisements, candidate debates, and political cartoons. Includes tips on "How to get the most out of a debate" and suggested further activities. (MJP)

One of the great challenges facing Christian higher education is the role and impact of student behavior codes in furthering institutional values and inculcating those values in the students served by such institutions. The perspectives of administrators, faculty members, and students regarding the rationale for codes of conduct at their…

The purpose of the study was to provide insight into the inability to retain qualified special education teachers. Why do special educators say they want to leave? What conditions would encourage them to stay? Nearly half of the teachers reported they planned to leave the field in the next 5 years. They cited three areas of concern: administrative…

Rural areas in both developed and developing countries are being increasingly marginalized through structural changes. Furthermore, the disinvestment in state-provided supports and services means that rural people are left to their own devices to cope with these changes. Numerous authors argue that the most effective way of dealing with these…

This descriptive study addressed the role of virtual learning environments in fostering reflective thought among preservice teachers through dialogic interaction. Preservice teachers tend to view teaching as a formulaic application of theory and strategies. When challenged with making decisions in novel settings, they are often unable to apply…

In recent years, educators have begun to use learning portfolios as a means of evaluating student learning in higher education. Research indicates that learning portfolios can help students understand better the learning process as well as enhancing learning outcomes. They promote reflection on the learning experience and encourage students to…

For the thirty-fourth year, the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Jacksonville, FL. A limited quantity of these Proceedings were printed and sold in both hardcopy and electronic…

This study examines eight exemplary pre- and in-service principal development programs. The programs were chosen both because they provide evidence of strong outcomes in preparing school leaders and because, in combination, they represent a variety of approaches with respect to their designs, policy contexts, and the nature of partnerships between…