Using the construct of personal self-efficacy as a foundation, methods for building science teaching confidence in preservice teachers are described. Methods include microteaching, cooperative learning, role models, experiential learning, computer use, and others. The interrelatedness of science anxiety, attitude toward science, and low science…

Suggests techniques for incorporating information on women psychologists into a psychology of women course. Emphasizes the impact of role models for female students integrating family and career. Presents themes of life cycle development in the psychology of women, discrimination in graduate training, the family claim, and employment…

Roles of language proficiency and general developmental factors on metaphor interpretation were examined for 60 Spanish- and English-speaking and 60 monolingual English-speaking children aged 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 years. Language proficiency in English and socioeconomic status were considered, but both were less important in metaphor interpretation…

Data from the Second International Mathematics Study for 3,724 eighth graders are used to demonstrate the potential of multilevel factor analysis (MFA) methodology. Issues related to between-class and within-class decomposition of achievement variance and the change in this decomposition over the course of the eighth grade are revealed through…

New academic self-concept measures were used to assess self-concepts for 234 boys in grades 5 and 6 (13 subjects) and 524 boys in grades 7 through 10 (16 subjects) at a Catholic boys school in Sydney (Australia) and to test the Marsh/Shavelson model. Academic self-concept is remarkably subject specific. (SLD)

Differences in use of selective attention by 64 more successful and 48 less successful readers in the tenth grade were studied. More successful readers are more aware of how and when to use the selective attention strategy and use more conceptual attention while reading than do less successful readers. (SLD)

Recently developed school programs for African-American male students give strong gender and cultural identity; strengthen social skills, discipline, and self-esteem; and redefine the "manly" African American. Some programs have faced legal and political obstacles. Early evidence of modest success is clear, but the long-term efficacy is…

Provides an organizational format for students to use when writing an ethnographic essay. Uses an organizing structure enabling students to produce professional written work in sociology. Outlines and identifies tasks to be accomplished in each section of a research report. (Author/NL)

A 2-year longitudinal study of 54 students in 4 urban high schools in California is used to develop a model of the interrelationships among family, peer, and school worlds as they combine to affect students' learning. Different categories of congruence between students' worlds illustrate the difficulties facing minority students. (SLD)

Two activities in which students use the human body to collect meaningful data that will be used symbolically in the form of sets of equations to search for patterns in nature are described. The mathematics and science concepts/skills, background information, objectives, lesson outline, and extensions are included. (KR)

Three Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) universities and the Pittsburgh school district collaborated in the preparation of urban secondary teachers. A study of exemplary teachers' characteristics regarding successful lessons indicated that these teachers planned thoroughly and were concerned about making lessons relevant but not influenced by social and…

Although youth apprenticeship models appear to have great potential, the following problems must be addressed before the strategy can succeed: (1) securing employer involvement; (2) assuring and improving the quality of on-the-job learning; and (3) confronting equity issues in public policy in incorporating work into the core educational system.…

Reviews arguments surrounding the inclusion of computer literacy as part of core requirements for all undergraduates, considering the effect of the current postsecondary educational reform movement. Describes seven models for linking general education and computer science, and highlights American University's approach, which integrates computing…

Describes study that was conducted to determine whether the search process is the same for academic, public, and school library users. Cognitive models of information seeking are discussed, users' attitudes during the search process are described, the role mediators play is examined, and future research needs are suggested. (26 references) (LRW)

Addresses key factors that influence the academic and social performance of minority and at-risk youth, including lack of role models, societal expectations and realities, ineffective practices, and patterns of school organization. The article provides suggestions for what teachers can do and what schools can do through staff development. (SM)