A course developed for young at-risk women in an alternative high school program involves trips out of the city, earns credits for physical education, and links students to the environment. Although balancing leadership and shared decision making was difficult, trips planned by the students became the ideal cooperative venture to seduce students…

Contends that, because the school curriculum is slow to adapt to societal change, the social studies curriculum is ripe for a needs assessment and change. Presents elementary social studies teachers with seven challenges of expanding communications technology. (CFR)

The changing style of interaction between government and higher education interest groups in Australia is chronicled from 1985 to 1994. Three stages of policy formation are identified: a stable policy community until 1987; a period of state direction (1988-90) when major reforms were introduced; and a more recent, unstable "issues…

AIDS education should not only focus on prevention but also promote decision-making skills and values as a basis for adolescent behavior. Activities that can be integrated with language arts for rural middle school students include role playing, reading and writing assignments about famous people afflicted with AIDS, round-table discussions, and…

Maintains that U.S. history did not begin with the colonization of North America by Europeans but with the Native American tribes that flourished prior to colonization. Discusses economic issues that determined the history and culture of various tribes. Provides a lesson plan based on economic decisions made by the Choctaw tribe. (CFR)

Teaching conformity through coercion limits students' willingness to take risks and make decisions regarding their learning. In contrast, a Foxfire classroom environment that meets psychological needs empowers students to make choices about their learning, eliminates fear of failure, allows students to establish their own standards of achievement,…

Describes forms of parental choice that have been proposed as policy tools to improve education and reviews research that supports these options. Parents who exercise choice tend to be better educated and to be already involved in their children's education. In the current debate, many have ignored nonchoosing parents. (SLD)

This article argues that in the current competitive environment of higher education, both students and colleges will benefit if the institutions make their admissions and financial aid policies explicit, helping students and parents understand the variety of factors involved in policy formation and decision making. Carleton College (Minnesota) is…

Discusses challenges to traditional views of school leadership posed by many school reform initiatives, curriculum innovations, and teacher incentive plans. Examines teacher leadership structures in light of the purposes and goals they seek to advance. Uses nonhierarhical theories of leadership from the general leadership literature to examine…

A 3-year examination of school-based decision-making (SBDM) councils in four rural Kentucky school districts revealed that, similar to findings in urban and suburban settings, SBDM councils in rural schools experienced difficulties in achieving true shared decision making. Decisions regarding hiring and budget management were most likely to lead…

Reports how husband's mental state, antagonism between the disputants, and victim injury affected officers' inferences and referral decisions to battered women shelters and outpatient mental health centers. Officers' age and perceptions of: husband's mental state, wife's credibility, wife's intent, husband's responsibility, and victim injury…

Reports results of research on the effects of open education on student outcomes, using classroom authority structure analysis. Maintains that student outcomes are contingent on the congruence between formal and informal authority structure. Concludes that more congruent authority structure was related to higher reading comprehension and…

In 1966, Muska Mosston introduced the Spectrum of Teaching Styles. Now, the expanded spectrum has been widely adopted nationally and internationally. A series of eight articles examines various uses of the Spectrum of Teaching Styles by teachers and teacher educators. (SM)

Examines cognitive elements used by 29 student teachers in solving problems involving instruction, discipline, supervisors, and time demands. Assesses relationship between problem types and teachers' strategies. Examines effect of experience and knowledge on problem-solving processes. Links problem-solving decisions to task environments…

Describes the use of Rasch item statistics for curricular analysis and instructional decision making. Uses a case study of application of the Rasch model in the pilot testing of items selected for criterion-referenced tests developed for grades one through eight in Charleston (South Carolina) schools. (SLD)