Examined the perspectives of ethnic/racial minority, urban middle school girls, investigating how they constructed social identities of gender and race through their literacy experiences. Because the enacted curriculum lacked critical awareness of the sociocultural contexts of gender and race, students' perspectives were largely missing from…

Examined relationship of role models among African American ninth-graders to substance use, delinquency, academic engagement, and psychological well-being. Found that males without male role models and females identifying brothers as role models reported the most problem behavior. Adolescents with paternal role models had most positive school…

Examined early childhood and concurrent factors associated with adolescents' self-perceptions of scholastic competence and global self-worth. Found that family conflict in adolescence, early childhood educational intervention (Abecedarian Project), and academic achievement predicted perceived scholastic competence. Perceptions of scholastic,…

Investigated social pressure to avoid acting white, interviewing relatively high achieving African American and Mexican American students in public and private high schools. Most did not avoid academic achievement to avoid accusations of acting white, and most reported no loss of ethnic identity. They felt strong resentment toward peers'…

Contends that the Canadian academy perpetuates dominant staffing of teaching and administrative positions with white males, marginalization of minorities, resistance to reflecting non-white values and experiences in education, and diminished expectations for minority students. The Canadian academy can become a site of empowerment and equity for…

Families of 24 African American children having severe emotional or cognitive disabilities who were receiving special education services in urban communities were interviewed about their perception of cultural sensitivity demonstrated by school districts. For nearly all, the level of parental satisfaction was closely related to feeling respected…

Examines the differential impact of a range of college diversity initiatives on white, African American, Mexican American/Chicano(a), and Asian American college students. After four years of college, regardless of the students' race/ethnicity, their overall level of satisfaction with their college experience was positively influenced by a variety…

Discussion of the importance of cultural considerations in instructional design focuses on audio messages in multimedia materials. Describes the development of a Web-based audio instructional series by a consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including planning, context selection, implementation, cost effectiveness, formative…

The importance of item difficulty (equated delta) was explored as a predictor of differential item functioning of Black versus White examinees for 4 verbal item types using 13 Graduate Record Examination forms and 11 Scholastic Aptitude Test forms. Several significant racial differences were found. (TJH)

Questions whether educational research concerned with children's abilities to learn science concepts has taken into account the effects of race, class, and gender on children's understanding. Contends that these factors are important variables to consider in cognitive research, and that their omission from this body of research has negative…

Investigates test anxiety, mathematics anxiety, and teacher feedback among university students enrolled in remedial mathematics classes to explore student motivation within an instructional framework. Results indicate that text anxiety has a significant effect on remedial mathematics students' mathematics achievement, and that informative feedback…

Describes the Algebra Project, which teaches algebra to middle school students and prepares them for college preparatory mathematics. The project includes some of the following elements: (1) a curriculum addressing the conceptual leap from arithmetic to algebra; (2) an experientially based curricular process; (3) high achievement expectations; and…

Utilizes statistical data on reading achievement from the National Assessment of Educational Progress to compare the performance of minority and nonminority students in suburban elementary schools. Suggests ways to improve the low minority student achievement. (FMW)

Discusses conflict between Blacks and Jews in the entertainment world, particularly in the film, television, and music industries. Traces Black-Jewish interaction from vaudeville to present-day Hollywood, Broadway, and the recording studio. Describes controversial remarks by performers and public figures, and calls for an end to insults and…

A longitudinal study comparing Black and White students' perceptions found similar perceptions of the medical school learning environment, Black perceptions of more stress and more support, and important differences in perceptions of academic performance and well-being. (Author/MSE)