Mexican-American and Anglo-American children from a semirural low-income elementary school were tested for competition, individualism, field independence, and school achievement. The Mexican-American children were found to be more prosocial and less competitive, but these factors were not necessarily related to lower school achievement. (GDC)

In a physical education course children were given assignments alternating between athletic competition and individually solving problems on how they would use their bodies to accomplish assigned physical activities; it was found that they enjoyed problem solving at least as much, if not more than, competition. (JD)

Reports a study and its replication which examined the effects of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning environments on the subsequent spontaneous self- and other-enhancement of 234 children between the ages of 8 and 10 years. (JMB)

Reports the results of a literature review and a survey of catalogers which were conducted to study the problem of the decline in quantity and quality of applications for entry-level cataloging jobs. Factors studied included: competition between types of library professionals, automation, library education, the women's movement, and library…

The Ivy League was the product of a protest movement by eight college presidents who were dismayed by the growing professionalism of intercollegiate athletics. The league adopted two major tenets: athletes would be admitted under the same criteria as other students, and colleges would only provide need based financial aid. (MLW)

A report by the Economic Policy Institute suggests that states involving higher education in economic development efforts take care to structure their programs to prevent them from becoming dominated by college interests. (MSE)

Some higher education groups are concerned that the strategies adopted by other groups to counter industry's charges of college abuse of tax-exempt status will further alienate Congress and stimulate new restrictions on the business activities of nonprofit groups. (MSE)

Describes how a science challenge program was modeled after the Olympics to offer a variety of science events in a competitive setting. Reviews organizational factors, suggests sources for events, and identifies rules and scoring procedures. (ML)

Attempts to provide social studies teachers with a more comprehensive understanding of the Japanese economy than can be gleaned from the popular press. Describes the contributions of competitive strategies, technology, capital availability, and education to Japan's economic success. (AEM)

For many children, sports participation develops skills and provides a fun activity. For others, however, it may have negative effects, including loss of self-esteem, depression and agressive behavior. Major psychological issues associated with youth sports are discussed and suggestions on how to encourage a child's participation are offered. (JL)

The efficacy of an educational intervention in teaching medical students to select optimal diagnostic data consistent with the competing-hypotheses heuristic and Bayes' theorem when solving clinical problems was examined. The results suggest that some problem-solving skills can be enhanced or learned independent of the acquisition of content…

The Academic Lab involves gifted intermediate-grade students in a minicourse concentrating on one topic with activities including research, competition, and fun. The learning activities stress problem-solving, creative thinking, communications, and self-direction, and the minicourse culminates in team and individual competitions. A sample…

The current trend toward academic gamesmanship, characterized by interinstitutional competition for faculty, gives the general public a superficial notion of academic excellence, deceives higher education supporters, deprives undergraduates of teaching that they are paying higher prices to receive, and gauges success by ephemeral standards.…

Comments by David Brenneman, president of Kalamazoo College, suggest that some people judge quality by price, and a low price at a private college is not necessarily a sign of good management. Peer pressure is responsible for one or two percentage points of annual tuition increases of selective private colleges. (MLW)

The first session of the 100th Congress has been transitional for national research and development policies because of the emergence of competitiveness as a major theme in American politics, the formation of a broad-based university-corporate alliance for lobbying, and growing public awareness of the potential commercialization of technology.…