Funded by Lockheed Martin, the University of New Mexico College of Education conducts three-week summer science academies for elementary school teachers of populations underrepresented in science and math. Native American teachers and Hispanic teachers whose families have lived in New Mexico for generations learn to use their own local knowledge…

A study involving 257 Navajo and Mexican-American elementary students investigated the internal structure of the DISCOVER assessment, a performance-based assessment grounded in Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence. Results showed low interrating correlations among the five assessment activities, indicating students gifted in one intelligence…

Discusses the tremendous barriers to success in college that Navajo students face. Discusses five major forms: financial difficulty, family obligations, prescriptive attitudes toward Standard American English, instructor/faculty ethnocentrism, and ambivalence toward Western education. Discusses ways faculty can work to mitigate these barriers as…

Spiders and insects are studied in both Navajo Studies and science classes at a middle school in New Mexico. In Navajo Studies, students learn the names of ground-dwelling insects and the connection between those names and traditional Navajo stories. In science class, students study arthropods to illustrate taxonomy of life, trophic and biological…

Describes a qualitative research study on the leadership roles of four American Indian women tribal college leaders. Suggests that the most important aspect of leadership is providing direction and articulating a clear mission for the tribal college. Contains 14 references. (JDI)

Participant observers conducting research among other cultures must use what is learned without betraying the confidence of those with whom they interact. Two Native American examples illustrate how current protocols are insufficient in cross-cultural situations. Recommendations include negotiating responsibilities before seeking consent,…

Evaluated replicability of model of family and peer influences on adolescent problem behavior. Subjects were 1,450 seventh graders representing three ethnic groups: American Indians, Hispanics, and Caucasians. Found good consistency across ethnic groups, but some subgroup differences emerged in the magnitude of relations between monitoring and…

The literature on language diversity, linguistic human rights, and language renewal is reviewed, and Web sites dedicated to Aboriginal languages are examined. The Internet provides a resource center where grammars, lexicons, fonts, and other resources can be developed; a means of learning languages; and a medium for communicating in Aboriginal…

Mental health service needs of American Indians in the Flagstaff (Arizona) area were surveyed among 156 adults, 28 adolescents. and parents of 51 children, focusing on help-seeking behaviors, desired services, factors promoting service use, adults' emotional and other problems, youth problems, and acculturation levels. Problems fell within the…

Although the number of white student receiving college degrees has stayed steady for five years, the number of African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American degree recipients has risen dramatically. Some fear these trends will cause complacency or criticism that gains are at the expense of whites. Five-year trends in undergraduate degrees…

Discusses some of the difficulties faced by presidents of tribal colleges, including underfunding and political infighting. Emphasizes the need for presidents to have a fast learning curve, be a good mediator, use participatory management techniques, and maintain personal integrity. States that tribal colleges play a major role in developing…

Community outreach and education at the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (University of Arizona, Tucson) features a Web site on toxicology and environmental health with resources for secondary teachers and students, an integrated high school curriculum with an environmental health sciences theme, teacher workshops, outreach to…

Boarding schools were the only option for rural high school students in Alaska until 1976, when the state began building many, very small, village high schools following a class action law suit. Selective, academic boarding schools continue to be an option. A survey of rural households found community satisfaction and improved student outcomes as…

Human beings tell stories to make sense of their experiences. Implications of this position for counseling are explored, using the author's experiences as the son of a Native American. His decision at age 11 to leave home for a better life is described as a critical incident. (EMK)

Previews the issue's articles on distance education, stating that tribal colleges are committed to increasing access to education. Cautions against proceeding rashly into new technology, but also denotes the danger in delaying technology implementation, because only those colleges that adapt and provide such services will survive. (VWC)