Reports a study of the influence of prior experiences on traditional and nontraditional preservice teachers' personal constructs of teaching and pedagogical development. Results of anthropological, stimulated recall, and concept map think-aloud interviews revealed many categories of prior experiences that significantly influenced preservice…

At two women's liberal arts colleges, freshman (n=127, n=140) perceptions of academic advising style were measured. Although students reported developmental advising at both institutions, the mean score at one college was significantly more developmental than at the other. Frequency of contact and an academic planning component were significant…

A survey of engineering students (436 responses) who participated in either an academic research or a cooperative work program found that both programs strongly influenced participants' skills, job values, and life objectives. Cooperative employment influenced students' skills and career decisions, and research experience influenced values and…

A four-equation simultaneous equations model was developed to analyze whether college student effort and achievement are jointly determined. Testing with 544 undergraduate students indicated that increased student efforts in working with faculty improved their grades, but course effort and library effort had no significant effect on grade point…

A literature review on the impact of college on students is summarized. Issues addressed include: relative impact of elite colleges; role of human, financial, and material resources in student experience; student effort as predictor of impact; importance of interpersonal life on campus; college social and moral environment; and focus on learning.…

The comments of two educators and an excerpt from a recent report on higher education reform address issues of accountability in higher education, including clarifying the role and responsibility of the faculty, fragmentation of the campus community and curriculum, and declining student outcomes. (MSE)

The Transition to College Project examined how college student learning is affected by involvement of students in academic and nonacademic experiences in college, particularly outside the classroom. The students (n=132) interviewed were from four institutions serving demographically very different populations. Results suggest that nontraditional…

Examined the role of natural peer-group selection and socialization processes in children's school motivation in two fourth- and two fifth-grade classrooms. Student and teacher reports of students' classroom engagement, and student interviews allowed the construction of composite maps of the social networks in these classrooms. A significant…

The College Life Task Assessment Instrument (CLT), a 35-item questionnaire, assesses college student performance in 7 life-task domains important to college life. Reliability and Validity results demonstrate the CLT's ability to predict freshman and cumulative GPA, freshman and cumulative credits earned, academic, social, and personal-emotional…

An adult, nontraditional student with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder, now enrolled in a community college, describes the pain of her school experiences, her quest for self-identity and personal satisfaction, and the value of drug therapy and other treatments. Suggestions are offered for students with similar problems. (JDD)

This study explored effects of social levels of play (isolate, dyadic, group, and team) on play behavior of autistic children in a leisure education/adapted physical education program with nondisabled peers. Findings indicate that structured integrated activities involving higher levels of social play elicit a higher frequency of appropriate play…

Explores ethnic diversity in the teaching force, questioning whether it is desirable. Information is presented from a 1990 conference, "Staffing Texas Schools with an Ethnically Diverse Teaching Force," which focused on recruitment and retention of minority teachers and developed recommendations to enhance cultural diversity in the…

Describes the teaching-upbringing complex (UVK) educational facilities in rural areas. Argues that UVKs create conditions that foster social, spiritual, and moral-esthetic development of rural students. Emphasizes the need for UVKs to provide guidance in literature, music, culture, and ethics. Encourages the channeling of students' free time into…

Offers examples of good Soviet art teachers and their ideas. Describes an art teacher who allows children to draw in any position so as to free natural creativity. Tells of programs to develop children's interest and ability in folk art, architecture, and life. Stresses the importance of sincerity of interaction and innovation. (DK)

Based on the idea that college student involvement in campus activities enhances student development, the University of Rhode Island has established a research project that gathers information on student cocurricular background and interests and monitors student participation in campus organizations and its correlation to student confidence and…