The methodology used by West Virginia University (WVU) to identify areas of potential discrimination in hiring practices is described. WVU uses the mathematical method suggested in the U.S. Department of Labor's "1979 Guide to Fair Employment Practices" to monitor faculty hiring and to determine discriminatory hiring practices. This…

Issues concerning experiential and postsecondary education are considered in six articles. In "Experiential Education for the Community College Student," Sheila Gordon considers the links between experiential and vocational education and suggests that experiential education is especially relevant to the learning styles and objectives of the…

Undertaken as a background paper for an early childhood education policy study intended to identify current issues in early childhood education and policy alternatives for consideration by the State Board of Education of Illinois, this report focuses on the effectiveness of early childhood education programs. Specifically addressed are (1) reasons…

In addition to giving pertinent historical background, this document describes the current educational system in Sweden. Specifically described are reform efforts since World War II; responsibilities of the federal, county and municipal governments; features held in common by schools in the municipalities; organization and curriculum of compulsory…

A survey of the status of language usage in Somalia begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Somali, the official language, and three languages previously used officially: English, Italian, and Arabic. The cultural context that for many years has supported the usage of a single native language for communication and administration is also…

Experts from government, academia, and interest groups met to discuss and explore the impact of changes in agriculture, industry, and government in shaping events in rural agricultural communities. Texts of 15 of the 18 papers are reproduced in the proceedings, along with the letter of submittal, overview, an agenda, and a list of presenters and…

This document contains working papers prepared for a seminar on Adaptation and Integration of Permanent Immigrants, along with general and specific recommendations formulated by seminar participants. Conclusions and recommendations from each paper are presented in English, French, and Spanish; the conference papers themselves are presented only in…

A report on second language instruction in elementary schools outlines the state of the art and makes policy and program and offers recommendations. An introductory section discusses the rationale for foreign language instruction at all levels and particularly in elementary schools, emphasizing the value of early and prolonged exposure to language…

Based on a comprehensive review of the existing research reinforced by consultation with a panel of experts, this report documents the impact of computers on many aspects of elementary and secondary school operation--e.g., uses to which computers are put, student performance and attitudes, and teacher atttiudes--and also on postsecondary…

A team designing a Web-enhanced third-year medical education didactic curriculum based their course planning and evaluation activities on the Institute for Higher Education Policy's (2000) 24 benchmarks for online distance learning. The authors present the team's blueprint for planning and evaluating the Web-enhanced curriculum, which incorporates…

In this contribution developments in Applied Linguistics in Europe are linked to major social changes that have taken place over the last decades. These include: The decline of the USSR and the end of the cold war; The development of the EEC and the EU and fading of borders; The economic growth of Western Europe; Labor migration from the south to…

This module is designed to introduce educational leaders to an organizational assessment tool called a "culture audit." Literature on organizational cultural competence suggests that culture audits are a valuable tool for determining how well school policies, programs, and practices respond to the needs of diverse groups and prepare…

Although education pays off handsomely in the United States, children from low-income families attain less education than children from more advantaged families. In this article, Cecilia Elena Rouse and Lisa Barrow investigate why family background is so strongly linked to education. The authors show that family socioeconomic status affects such…

In 1973, compulsory province-wide grade 12 examinations, administered in Alberta since 1906, were dropped; teachers were given the responsibility of assigning final grades. Mandated by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1976, this study by the Minister's Advisory Committee on Student Achievement (MACOSA) surveyed education professionals,…

The symposium report focuses on effects of state curriculum mandates on the social studies curriculum. Part of a larger study designed to examine the effect of state law on the introduction and implementation of law-related education, the report is presented in two sections. Section I analyzes social studies mandates in the 50 states. Five…