This study goes beyond student perceptions of online learning experiences, satisfaction, and attitudes, to examine the actual participation and dynamics that occur in online discussions and their relationship to student learning outcomes. A content analysis approach was used to investigate students' socio-cognitive processes in an online…

This article presents a critical analysis of language ideologies in the instructional discourse of Spanish for heritage speakers in the United States. We focus on the discourse present in prefaces and introductions to Spanish for heritage speakers textbooks published between 1970 and 2000. Whereas previous research on language ideologies in…

This study investigated the unexpected effects of inclusion on the families of students with learning disabilities. A focus group interview was conducted with 13 parents who have children with learning disabilities. The children's ages ranged from 5 to 24 years. Findings are reported regarding participants' comments in response to two guiding…

This dissertation addresses how federalism is portrayed in high school U.S. history textbooks. The guiding questions of this study include: (1) How well do senior high school U.S. history textbooks portray federalism through description of domestic disorders? (2) When domestic disorders are included in these textbooks, how accurately are they…

The Advertising and Public Relations section of the proceedings contains the following 14 papers: "Toward an Understanding of Cultural Values Manifest in Advertising: A Content Analysis of Chinese Television Commercials from 1990 and 1995" (Hong Cheng); "The Impact of Advertising Distance on International Advertising: An Analysis of…

The Science Communication Interest Group section of the proceedings contains the following seven papers: "Using Television to Foster Children's Interest in Science" (Marie-Louise Mares and others); "Trends in Newspaper Coverage of Science over Three Decades: A Content Analytic Study" (Marianne G. Pellechia); "Media…

This issue of "Media and Values" helps students acquire and evaluate media information in order to be effective citizens. The individual articles include: (1) "In the Light of the Fires" (Elizabeth Thoman); (2) "From Milton to Media" (Clay Jenkinson); (3) "Brave New World" (Paul Du Bois; Frances Moore Lappe); (4) "Making Politics Work" (Jay…

A study was conducted to analyze current job announcements in the field of instructional design and technology and to produce descriptive information that portrays the required skills and areas of knowledge for instructional technology graduates. Content analysis, in its general terms, was used as the research method for this study. One hundred…

This paper reports on a study to explore the perspectives of authorities, pre-service and in-service teachers regarding appropriate music course content for non-specialists. Data were obtained from conducting a content analysis of 20 textbooks and course outlines, surveying 250 education students labeled "early years" or…

Sixty-nine School Journals, magazines for New Zealand students from 7 to 13 years old, were surveyed to examine the representation of ethnic groups and cultures. The magazine issues from 1979 and 1987-1990 featured 760 items (e.g., stories, articles, poems, songs, and plays) were analyzed for the activities, languages, roles, age, and gender of…

Worker-oriented, job-oriented, and cognitive task analyses have all been used as tools for closing the gap between what curriculum teaches and what workers do. Although they share a commonality of purpose, the focus, cost, and practicality of task analysis techniques vary. Worker-oriented task analysis focuses on general human behaviors required…

Focusing on prerequisites, corequisites, and advisories on recommended preparation for existing courses in California's Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD), this document explains new Title 5 regulations adopted by the district Board in October 1994 and provide guidelines for implementation. The following sections are provided:…

This study reviewed six history textbooks widely used in grades 7-12 across the U.S. Using a story-line analysis, the findings of this study suggest: (1) textbooks reinforce negative stereotypes of Latin Americans as lazy, passive, irresponsible, and, somewhat paradoxically, lustful, animalistic and violent; (2) the method of description employed…

This content analysis study explored the impact of recent decades on the appearance, content, content emphasis and textbook features of 1970 edition and the 1992 edition of "Magruder's American Government." This volume has been the leading high school government textbook ever since it was first published in 1917. The study pre-selected…

It is the purpose of this paper to describe and analyze the "moral content" of six preservice science "methods" textbooks. Six recently published textbooks, including both elementary and secondary levels, were examined by way of a method which attempted to identify those text segments with "explicit moral guidance." The paper reports on the…