This paper describes the experiences of four beginning secondary school teachers in Australia during their first two years of teaching, looks at policy and literature on existing teacher orientation programs and needs, and makes recommendations for further research and program development. Significant contradictions of policy and practice are…

Discusses academic support programs for distance education students and describes the results of an evaluation of the orientation program at the University College of Central Queensland (UCCQ). A questionnaire was used to determine the costs of the program, whether student needs were being met, orientation attendance, and needed changes or…

A survey of 840 employees received 273 responses (43 percent from managers/executives) demonstrating that the importance placed on work and career and perceptions of motivating job characteristics were significantly related to 3 aspects of motivation: career identity, insight, and resilience. Other significant variables were managerial support,…

A telephone registration system for first year students implemented at Alma College (Michigan), involves having freshmen confer with advisors during orientation week, then having the registrar's office contact the advisors. Despite limitations, the low-tech solution works well at extremely low cost. (MSE)

Discusses findings of a survey of 18 women music educators. Reports the educators' career paths, reasons for job changes, and professional influences. Reveals their appraisals of the importance of mentoring and goal setting and their definitions of success. Argues that it is up to women music educators to nurture one another. (SG)

This article reviews literature on the behavior of deaf adolescents; pinpoints problems in students' lack of social skills, decision making, and lack of goal orientation; and offers guidelines for teaching values in tandem with decision-making skills. Six sample lessons are briefly outlined, on defining problems, predicting consequences,…

Describes a study following teachers through their preservice year at a faculty of education and their first two years after graduation. Describes the class, then reviews the project's goals, data sources, and evolving methodology. Raises questions about how teaching candidates' personal knowledge can be used and connected to their education and…

Assessed impact of persuasive, value-based career counseling intervention on development of purpose and identity in college students. Found in first study that students who received intervention showed gains in development of purpose and identity and in second study that students who experienced intervention gained more than control group in…

For adolescent females, many influences create conflicts between femininity and realization of their giftedness. A study at two New Jersey Governor's Schools found that gifted girls endorse androgynous sex role characteristics. Governor's schools are encouraged to develop programs for gifted females in educational and career counseling, parent…

Discusses model designed to provide effective academic, personal, and social support programs to minority college students. Describes model as intrusive and developmental in nature and able to be modified to accommodate groups of students with unique needs. Identifies model's three major areas of focus: academic and developmental monitoring, peer…

A motivation questionnaire was used to investigate dominant factors and features of motivation among 90 Singapore elementary school teachers. Through item analysis, the following factors emerged as underlying motivations: esteem, self-actualization, security, autonomy, belongingness, achievement orientation, professional challenge, and task…

The executive director of the Council for Exceptional Children discusses the importance of collaborative action to achieve common goals, applies these principles to special education, and describes a collaborative effort with nine other national associations to identify and promote good practice principles for the planning and operation of…

Fairview YMCA Camps (New Jersey) simultaneously hosts three different camp programs. Sense of community is created by shared staff training, shared staff facilities, common areas, and social and project intermingling. Campers also make cross-program connections, influenced by staff behavior and shared facilities and activities. Shared marketing…

Discusses a study in which the similarities and differences between Aboriginal Australian, Anglo Australian, and immigrant Australian students' learning-goal orientations were measured. Previous research posits that children embrace different learning goals according to their culture. In contrast, findings indicate that the profiles of all…

Investigates how different types of achievement goals influence elementary school students' help seeking. Goals were conceptualized on two dimensions: locus of the goal (i.e., personal goals and contextual goals) and emphasis of the goal (i.e., learning goals and performance goals). Interactions among goals and their resultant patterns of help…