In this ethnographic study, Mark Granovetter's theory of the strength of weak ties was used to investigate the flow of human services information (HIS) among nurses and the elderly at neighborhood clinics. Analysis of observations and interviews revealed that nurses were bridging weak ties and helped link seniors with local services. (Contains 81…

Analysis of the verbal interactions in five videoconferenced classes and classroom observations indicated the level of class interaction was not significantly different in traditional versus distance classes. Instructors influenced the amount and type of student talk in both. Remote-site students had higher levels of noncognitive talk. (SK)

This observational study suggests that many toddler friendships are occurring all the time, waiting to be discovered and fostered by astute teachers. Asserts that those working in toddler programs need to be sensitive to the potential for friendships in 2-year-olds and nurture these first fragile bonds. (EV)

Describes the block play of two preschoolers as they recreate their visit to their state capital. Presents the teacher's observations of the skills displayed in their play and the letter to parents explaining what children learn from block play. (KB)

A grandfather and educator of the gifted recounts his experiences systematically observing and recording the development of his granddaughter from birth through age 5. He notes the special advantages grandparents have in such observation and offers advice to parents, grandparents and talented youth on ways to develop talents and interests…

Two experiments investigated the derived transfer of functions through equivalence relations established using a stimulus pairing observation procedure. In Experiment 1, participants were trained on a simple discrimination (A1+/A2-) and then a stimulus pairing observation procedure was used to establish 4 stimulus pairings (A1-B1, A2-B2, B1-C1,…

This article was inspired by the authors' attempts to impact student responses to feminist theorizing in a third-year social psychology course. It was grounded in their participant observation, over a three-year period, as instructors at York University in Toronto, Canada. In their respective roles as professor and tutorial assistant, the authors…

While observation is critical to science, sometimes things cannot be observed directly. Sometimes things happened long ago (in paleontology, for example) or are too small to observe (like atoms). Many students believe that science progresses only through direct observation. Students may also believe that giant microscopes provide insight into…

This article describes one fifth grade's participation in in NASA's S'COOL (Students' Cloud Observations On-Line) Project, making cloud observations, reporting them online, exploring weather concepts, and gleaning some of the things involved in authentic scientific research. S?COOL is part of a real scientific study of the effect of clouds on…

The effectiveness of educational activities on changing the handwashing habits of preschool children was evaluated using parental surveys and direct observations. Baseline handwashing behaviors were observed and recorded, and parents completed a pre-intervention survey. After interventions were administered, post-intervention data was collected on…

This study examines the academic library experiences of African American undergraduates attending a research university in the Midwest. Data collection techniques included questionnaires and ethnographic observations. The results indicated that African American undergraduates are using the academic library primarily to read and to study with their…

There is a commonality between methods that artists employ in portraying their subjects and the methods that those studying nature employ in learning about the world, and this similarity can provide encouragement in leading science students to study nature via art. In understanding how beneficial drawing can be to science, consider that both the…

Nature journaling is a useful skill for science students, independent of whether they also consider themselves artists. A pencil and sketchbook can be carried anywhere to record ecological information in many ways. A traditional page in a nature journal may consist of quick studies of plant and animal life sketched out as rudimentary line drawings…

This paper examines the impact of the Religious Right on American social policy as it relates to family, sexuality and reproductive health. The article focuses on the current debates and practices of abstinence-until-marriage programs vs. comprehensive sex education programs--and the ways in which they reflect and affect cultural attitudes about…

There is little information about the sleep patterns of adults who have mental retardation and are supported in the community. In the present study, direct-care staff recorded sleep behaviors of 59 adults residing in 16 suburban group homes. Based on direct observation and measurement procedures, the adults averaged 7.9 hours of sleep each evening…