Nineteen papers concerning various aspects of distance education and distance education research are presented in this document. The papers are: (1) "Introduction, Celebrating Difference in Research in Distance Education" (Terry Evans); (2) "Discourse or Discord? A Dilemma of Distance Education" (Philip Juler); (3)…

The goal of this study was to take a first step in evaluating the potential of virtual reality (VR) as a learning environment. The context of the study was The Technology Academy, a technology-oriented summer day camp for students ages 5-18, where student activities center around hands-on exploration of new technology (e.g., robotics, MIDI digital…

The Center for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC) in Los Angeles, California has examined transfer data for students at two-year institutions from 1984 through 1987. In the CSCC studies, transfer rates are calculated by dividing the number of students entering a community college with no prior college experience and completing at least 12…

This paper explores the question of how and what a school can do to foster student discipline and effort. Personal experiences and observations are offered about the approaches and strategies used in schools and by parents in Taiwan, China to foster students' positive attitudes toward learning and school. This document focuses on the approaches…

A person with a learning disability usually has average or above average intelligence, but has difficulty taking in, remembering, or expressing information. Learning disabilities can involve visual processing speed, short-term memory processing, fluid reasoning, and long-term memory retrieval. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and…

This six-article document examines the research base that can be used in formulating plans to improve the chances of schooling success for all students. Each article summarizes well-confirmed knowledge in a particular area, giving attention first to the research literature, and then to the tested experiences and practices of leading professionals.…

This study investigated the patterns of student use of school-based health centers (SBHCs) in Oregon. The study explored adolescents' health care needs and use of services, the reasons students use SBHCs for care, and the type of students who use SBHCs; the study also assessed the relationships between use of SBHC services and student risk…

This paper describes a methodology for helping institutional research assess its roles and its effectiveness in supporting decision-making at all institutional levels. The paper discusses how to meet this goal by planning, doing, checking, and acting. Planning requires the understanding of the roles of the data custodian, the broker, and the…

This study examines the undergraduate characteristics and factors in the undergraduate experience that appear to correlate with beneficial classroom experiences. The study was conducted at a large research university with an undergraduate population of about 10,000 students. Data were derived from a survey instrument that is part of the…

Many theories of career development are derived from theories of personality; however, broader perspectives on career development are being built on emerging research focused on gender, race, ethnicity, and social class. The main career development theories are as follows: trait and factor theories (which assumes the possibility of matching…

This document presents literature review findings that provide background information on the director credentialing effort. Findings show that the director's role is essential to program quality and that director experience correlates with quality for children and their families. Research suggests training needs and the competencies or attributes…

A study investigated: (1) whether children at risk for failure to learn to read and write increase their phonemic awareness while engaged in holistic language arts instruction; (2) if so, which language experiences and instructional practices are associated with the gains; and (3) the nature of the interaction between phonemic awareness…

This publication presents a collection of materials on the German experience with literacy education. A timeline offers a brief account of adult literacy in the Federal Republic of Germany. "Literacy as a Problem in the Federal Republic of Germany" identifies the causes and impacts of "second-order illiteracy" (the loss of…

This paper, on the relationship between political socialization, the educational process, and what is taught in schools, is organized into three chapters, each of which is largely devoted to reviewing the literature of a particular area. Chapter 1 focuses on the process of political socialization in general and seeks to convey the variety of…

The current and desired role of local vocational directors (LVDs) in North Carolina was assessed through a survey of superintendents, principals, vocational teachers, and LVDs. A literature review indicated differences in various groups' perceptions regarding the actual and ideal role of LVDs. The instrument required respondents to reply 2 times…