The purpose of this study was to examine patterns with regard to six advanced high school mathematics courses 12th-grade students who took the American College Testing (ACT) assessment had taken between 1987 and 1997. Differences in performance on the ACT mathematics test were studied with respect to mathematics courses taken, gender,…

This paper reports on a study in which a select bibliography of gay fiction was compiled and checked against the catalogs of the public libraries in Franklin County, Ohio, in order to determine the collection extent and whether catalog subject access is provided for these works. Results show that the percentage of checklist titles held by each…

The process of selecting and maintaining the collection for the community consumes much of the staff's time in public libraries. Small libraries with fewer staff have less time for these activities. This handbook enables staff to use their time most efficiently while doing specific tasks; forms, checklists, and samples are used as guides. The main…

As part of a research project about portfolios as a means of assessment for preservice teachers, the College of Education at a midwestern university formed a committee to review and rate student-developed portfolios. The committee evaluated student portfolios both for their evidence of attainment of beginning teacher competencies and also for…

A survey of school district superintendents sought to gather data on a number of characteristics and compare the data to studies conducted in 1971 and 1982. From a random sample of 2,536 superintendents, stratified by district size, usable survey responses were received from 1,724, for a return rate of 68 percent, or 11 percent of all United…

This report presents results of a questionnaire survey intended to establish a profile of Blacks and Hispanics holding faculty positions in Massachusetts colleges and universities. The survey was sent to 86 community and two-year colleges, liberal arts colleges, comprehensive institutions and doctoral-granting institutions (72 responded), of which…

This study illustrates how a factor analysis of a well-designed student-rating instrument can increase its utility. Factor analysis of a student-rating instrument was used to reveal constructs that would explain student attrition in science, mathematics, and engineering majors. The Instructional Development and Effectiveness Assessment (IDEA)…

Despite a high attrition rate among urban teachers, some have remained and have proven to be effective with the urban population of learners. This paper determines the perceptions of urban teachers and university faculty of the role of an effective urban teacher and compares these perceptions to the natural behavioral styles of candidates for an…

The selection and use of authentic reading materials for Spanish instruction of graduate-level international management students is described. Focus is on materials used in the second and third semesters of a 3-semester language course designed to foster communication skills. In the early part of the second semester, students present oral reports…

Papers from India, Nepal, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea, from a seminar (Bangkok, 1980) on new personnel profiles in relation to changes in society and educational systems, present studies dealing with national mechanisms for preparing and updating profiles of educational personnel. The Indian study indicates that: changes in…

This guidebook reports the results of a three-year study involving the use of paraprofessionals with mathematics students in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District (California), and outlines a program for initiating a mathematics paraprofessional program. Over 1200 students in grades 4-7 participated in this project to determine the effects of…

A questionnaire survey of rural school teachers (225) and principals (40) attempted to identify skills and characteristics which teachers need to be successful in rural schools; interviews of 32 teachers in 13 rural schools and of 27 rural school trustees were also conducted. Recent literature on training of teachers for rural schools was…

This handbook capsulizes the many steps in developing, implementing, and evaluating a workplace literacy program, and is written from the perspectives of both the educator and the employer. The handbook has been written for business leaders and for adult basic education and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) educators. While the suggestions in the…

This study was conducted on statewide enrollment trends and student characteristics in Illinois public community colleges. The study analyzed fall 1990 enrollments by college, full-/part-time status, sex, ethnic origin, age, student level, first-time/continuing enrollment status, and program. Study findings included the following: (1) at the end…

Many professionals are convinced that more testing, tracking, and retention are taking place in the early school years than ever before. They also believe that developmentally inappropriate modifications to curricula are being implemented. As a result of inappropriate use of standardized tests, disproportionate numbers of poor and minority…