Preservice elementary school teachers entering a science methods course have been found to differ widely in their command of science process skills. A study was undertaken to examine several variables suggested by the literature to be related to these skills. Forty-five preservice elementary school teachers (5 males and 40 females) were tested at…

A study examined the high school graduates' perceptions and employers' reports of hiring and job performance standards and employment outcomes one year after high school. Longitudinal data were collected from 522 students at the beginning and end of the senior school year and 325 of these students (62 percent) one year after graduation. Employers…

Sixty-three students in three undergraduate college classes were divided into three groups to investigate the effect of two delayed self-reporting techniques on attitudinal data toward a course and instructor. Nonparametric tests and intercorrelations of item treatment means, together with two-way analyses of variance on item clusters, indicated…

This report describes and evaluates efforts to enhance school districts' capacity to implement and institutionalize the monitoring and management system for an instructional leadership program called Achievement Directed Leadership (ADL). Chapter one introduces the report's methodology, limitations, and structure. Chapter two first states the…

The philosophy, operations, and applications of the Eastern Washington University Department of Education Merit Pay System are described. The system is designed to: eliminate arbitrary assessments, reward desired behaviors, award merit pay to those achieving designated goals, individualize rewards, encourage cooperation, and simplify evaluative…

In 1977 the Dallas Independent School District devised a 5-year state-mandated improvement plan for increasing student test scores in priority goal areas. This paper describes the planning process as it evolved, the problems faced by large districts, and the 5-year student achievement results. The original plan contained eight priority goal areas,…

Observational techniques were employed to gain insights into students' experiences from three perspectives (learner, teacher, and observer) as related to four aspects of a set task (nature of the task, including its purpose; how the task was carried out; perceived significance of outcomes achieved; and significance of outcomes in terms of science…

Research on teaching effectiveness is discussed, along with initiatives to improve the quality of teaching in business and management schools and colleges. Responses to a survey on teaching effectiveness are examined to identify perceptions of 427 undergraduate and graduate business students. In addition, results of a survey of 79 business and…

The effect of differences in student and faculty learning styles on student evaluation of faculty was studied at the University of Alabama's College of Education. It was assumed that the professor's learning style influenced teaching behavior. In the final week of the spring semester, the Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) was…

The final financial status and performance report for a library literacy program project at the Yuma City-County Library (Arizona) begins with a brief statement of general information about the grant. This is followed by a narrative report that delineates the goal of the project--for the library to take a leadership role in developing,…

Inner City, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaroid Corporation, in Roxbury, Massachusetts, that has provided job training for the past 20 years to Boston's unemployed, underemployed, and disadvantaged residents, with entry into meaningful employment. Training occurs within the framework of an actual manufacturing environment so that the…

In 1989, a study was conducted of the evaluation practices for tenured faculty used by members of the Council of North Central Community Junior Colleges. Questionnaires were mailed to the vice-president for academic affairs/instructional dean and the head of the faculty union/association at the 305 institutions. Information was solicited…

Demographic forecasters predict that fewer young workers will be entering the work force at the turn of the century, with women, minorities, and immigrants constituting five-sixths of the net additions to the labor force. Since these groups generally have comparatively low educational levels, the labor pool of the near future will be characterized…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' (ABOR) Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness presents an overview of the State of Arizona ABOR, and university state operating budget request processes. This overview includes a 25-year state funding, productivity, and performance output history of…

One of the most significant developments in higher education over the past decade has been the increased linkages between colleges and other organizations and institutions. A prominent and fast-growing form of linkage is contract training. Contract training refers to an arrangement in which a business, a government agency, or a community…