The concept of quality in higher education is discussed, including ways of thinking about quality, its relevance to higher education, interrelationships, and philosophical/political bases. The relative nature of quality is examined, and five differing conceptualizations are identified: quality as exception, perfection, fitness for purpose, value…

Compares traditional and nontraditional curricula in the area of organization of information and proposes a new model for organization of information in which information is redefined and cataloging is perceived as a mode of organizational behavior. Some implications of this model on the core curriculum for organization of information are…

This rejoinder suggests that Conte and Andrews (EC 605 549) have come to the correct conclusion that social skills deficit should not constitute a specific learning disability, but for reasons which are seen as irrelevant. The paper concludes that all children with identified social skills deficits, regardless of eligibility criteria, should…

Presents a matrix-continuum of systemic change defining six developmental stages (old system maintenance, awareness, exploration, transition, emerging new infrastructure, and predominating new system) and six key change elements (vision, public and political support, networking, teaching and learning changes, administrative roles and…

Presents five definitions of "systemic change," ranging from "working with school districts or education departments to effect change" (vertical approach) to "working with every school in a system" or "working with every aspect of the school system (horizontal approaches). "Systemic" can also mean…

Describes a four-part curriculum that can serve as a model for incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into the high school computer curriculum. The model includes examining questions fundamental to AI, creating and designing an expert system, language processing, and creating programs that integrate machine vision with robotics and…

The current state of knowledge, primarily anecdotal, concerning ritualism in child sexual abuse is reviewed. The terminology is defined, and the issues of credibility and responses among parents, professionals, and the community are discussed. Implications for interviewing in clinical practice and for policy development are described, as are areas…

Cross-disciplinary similarities and differences are apparent among various conceptualizations of decision making. This article isolates several decision theories outside education traditions and reports the application of social judgment theory to improving educational administrators' ability to identify high-risk students. (42 references) (MLH)

Offers a teacher evaluation model designed to help principals understand their role as instructional supervisor. The model can also help teachers understand the nature of the evaluation being accomplished, facilitate the delegation of formative evaluation to others, and reconcile two seemingly irreconcilable processes. (12 references) (MLH)

The confusion by students on the use of three terms in their writing is discussed. The definitions of catabolite repression, constitutive, and ribosome binding site, given in the glossaries of 10 textbooks, are compared with the use of these terms in students' papers. (KR)

Examines circumstances associated with fatal child neglect in Iowa. Differentiates fatal child neglect from fatal physical abuse and other types of neglect. The typical neglect fatality was a male child, younger than three, living with the mother and two or three siblings. The bathroom is the room where fatal child neglect is most likely to occur.…

Defining hunger on the basis of poverty or other nonphysiological criteria is misleading. With nutritional data used by human-service agencies, suggests programs with such conception of hunger hurt the efforts at nutritional change. Uses central Mississippi as an example to propose objective nutritional definition and assessment. (TES)

Contends that, although the operant approach to psychology is based on objective empirical observations, much of psychology is filled with subjective, interpretive terminology. Argues that such terminology produces confusion over the definitions of basic operant concepts. Suggests a solution that defines the concepts of positive and negative…

This paper examines the extent to which the 1992 American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) definition of mental retardation provides decision rules to guide clinicians and researchers in classification efforts. The paper examines concerns about the intelligence quotient criterion, the adaptive skill areas, and proposed differentiation by…

Studies with 174 college students and 41 college faculty attempted to define trick questions and to determine whether students could distinguish between trick and not-trick questions. Evidence seems to suggest that the concept of trickiness is not as clear as some test construction textbooks indicate. (SLD)