This chapter discusses the development of achievement motivation during adolescence from the perspective of expectancy-value theory, and explains how adolescents' expectancies for success and achievement values change during adolescence, particularly during educational transitions such as that from elementary to middle school and from middle to…

The Professional Nurse Traineeship (PNT) program was created to provide nursing schools that place high proportions of their graduates in medically underserved communities with additional funding to support students in graduate nursing education or training. A total of 4,332 nurses who graduated in the academic years of 1996-1997 or 1997-1998 from…

In 2005-6 a team from the NFER carried out an evaluation of the implementation of Renaissance Learning mathematics and reading programs in selected Specialist (secondary) and feeder (primary) schools in London. The research involved matching schools implementing the programs (14 "treatment" schools) with 7 similar schools where the…

In order to encourage school districts to include students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in educational assessments, this report discusses issues involved in assessing students with LEP. Topics include: (1) the role of testing in education and the different types of tests mandated by educational reform legislation; (2) characteristics of…

The hypothesis that making judgments is the basis for workplace learning was examined by studying work in a range of occupations with a view to identifying and analyzing the main judgments involved in individuals' work performance. To test the hypothesis, six practicing professionals (three men and three women) were interviewed. Two of…

This book explores the issues involved in developing standards in higher education, examining the practical issues involved in benchmarking and offering a critical analysis of the problems associated with this developmental tool. The book focuses primarily on experience in the United Kingdom (UK), but looks also at international activity in this…

This report presents findings about the academic performance of elementary students with limited English proficiency (LEP) who entered first grade in Texas public schools in 1992-93. In general, performance gaps existed between elementary LEP students and non-LEP students, in terms of Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) results and…

This document contains 14 research papers presented at the American Vocational Education Research Association (AVERA) annual meeting. The following papers are included: "Factors that Influence Students to Attend 4-Year Automotive Programs" (Gregory G. Belcher, Robert L. Frisbee); "The Training Needs of Vocational Teachers for…

In the past, multitasking was a juggling act performed by busy adults, as they tried to manage jobs, chores, carpools, and PTA meetings. But recently, teens and tweens have turned into the real experts at multitasking, as their lives become chock-full of organized activities. For them, multitasking has simply become a way of life: "If I couldn't…

Examined in three studies EuroCanadian and Native Canadian children's memory for stereotypic behaviors attributed to ingroup and outgroup members. Found that outgroup favoritism, typically found among low-status group members, was reversed among Native Canadian children attending a heritage school. Age and cognitive development level predicted…

Performance-based, contextual assessments can highlight the academic and personal strengths of students that may be overlooked or judged pathological by traditional psychometric measures. This case study of a 10-year-old African American male special-education student illustrates how portfolio assessment improved the perception of his academic…

This article considers two policy initiatives that address the dilemma of increasing special education teacher numbers and improving quality: the No Child Left Behind law and the plan laid out in the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future policy blueprint. It then discusses teacher attrition and retainment strategies. (Contains…

Provides an overview of the IRIS (Intelligent Reference Information System) project at the University of Houston (Texas) libraries; describes CD-ROM database performance tests, user reactions to the CD-ROM network, and a survey of users of an expert system to recommend reference sources; and reports on current activities and future plans.…

Discusses analysis of student transcripts at Niagara County Community College, which showed a positive correlation between success in basic skills courses and success in regular college courses. (YKH)

The federal government has been collecting, analyzing, and disseminating educational statistics for more than 130 years. Over time the focus has shifted from data gathering to research and development (R&D) to find more effective ways of educating children. Educational research and development, however, has not been held in high esteem by most…