In order to understand what motivates children to participate in or avoid engaging in physical activities, it is necessary to understand something about motivation. There are two sources of motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from drives, psychological and physiological processes, and needs such as the desire for achievement and…

Failure to identify and account for the effect of moderator variables is an important reason for the low explanatory power of much educational research. Pre-existing subgroups such as sex, ethnicity, and curriculum offer an easily identifiable and theoretically meaningful source of moderator variables. Tests for intercept and slope differences in…

The effectiveness of the General Studies Program at San Diego City College is evaluated in this study. The program, offered during a student's initial semester of attendance, is designed to help potentially low academic achievers succeed in college. Using random selection techniques, students were chosen from first-time enrollees who had no prior…

This review of public higher education in California identifies problems in the policies and processes that directly affect a student's admission to college, his persistence, and his progress toward graduation. The study is based on 3 questions: who shall be admitted to higher education (addresses existing policies of selection and admission); who…

A study is proposed to attempt to answer the following: (1) How many and what kinds of Community College students drop out or do not return? (2) In what ways do non-persisters differ from persisters and what can colleges do to increase retention? (3) What is the employment experience of non-persisters who did not complete occupational programs or…

Report I is designed to provide a statistical profile of the 32 Community Colleges participating in the study of Persistence and Performance in California's Community Colleges, using data available in the student accounting reports made annually to the Office of the Chancellor by the California Community Colleges. No attempt was made to go beyond…

A study was conducted to determine the relationships between student completion and time of day the class is offered, the content of the class, size of the class, grading procedure, and background of the teacher. A 17-item questionnaire was prepared for instructors of all daytime graded classes. Response rate was 89%. Results showed that student…

A follow-up study of a 10% (n=461) random sample of all persons who graduated from Miami-Dade Community College between July 1970 and June 1971 inclusive (n=4,620) was conducted in early 1976 in order to determine how many of the graduates entered the Florida State University System (SUS) and, of those who entered, how many graduated. Follow-up…

To examine how survival rates change with time, each cohort of new entrants to the public school teaching profession between 1968 and 1976 was examined. Results replicated Charters' downward sloping survival curve, although the curve has shifted up steadily through time. The survival rate differential between men and women is decreasing over time.…

It is contended that until now colleges and universities have been reacting defensively to the problem of affirmative action. They must now set realistic goals in recruitment and retention, commit financial and human resources to these goals, and set up contractual agreements that clearly delineate the rights and obligation of the student as well…

Explores the general proposition that student teachers' professional self perceptions increasingly explain differences in levels of commitment during the course of training, i.e., that the way in which student teachers view themselves in their professional role increasingly influences their evaluation of teaching generally. (Author/RK)

Reports on seven findings of a study concerning the factors in maintaining a dynamic teaching career. Compares a study concerning successful business executives and concludes that success is attributed to attitudes rather than skills. (JK)

The ease with which two tables can be constructed that capture the many changes of majors made by a selected student cohort over a specified period of years is demonstrated. The way in which such tables can be used by planners at both the departmental and university level is shown. (Author/MLW)

Logic modeling was developed to explore the persistence of community college students. Independent variables included student demographic characteristics, purpose for enrolling, intention to return, frequency of informal interaction with faculty, and satisfaction with the college. Persistence was a function of sex, purpose for enrolling, and…

A central goal of preservice teacher education programs should be to develop a commitment to the profession in future teachers. Teacher education programs in physical education need to graduate teachers who develop strong programs, take their work seriously and are committed. Suggestions for doing so are given. (JL)