A survey of 219 Ohio State University students before and after freshman year investigated the relationship between retention and changes in freshman perspectives on social and academic issues. Results indicate faculty contact may play a significant role in student attitudes but may not affect retention. Retention may be only indirectly related to…

A survey of 295 college students and 116 faculty investigated perceptions of how professor behavior contributes to an improved student-professor relationship, focusing on four dimensions of the relationship: fairness; caring and individual attention; flexibility and open-mindedness; and trust and credibility. Results varied by gender and major,…

Two studies, one quantitative and another qualitative, of learning style preferences of physical education majors are reviewed. The quantitative study investigated variation in relation to gender, age, and ethnicity and how preferences compared to those found in other disciplines. The qualitative study identified common themes in student…

Compares language patterns in two moderately aphasic adults over age 60 with left hemisphere damage, using measures of lexical richness (word frequency). Argues for the usefulness of evaluating patients on conversational speech and the role of extensive linguistic analysis in prognosis and therapy. The discussion considers both qualitative and…

Examines reasons behind 1980s separation of higher and vocational education sectors in Finland and the directions of recent policy controlling student flow. Looks at the changing student market and student expectations about the practical versus theoretical orientations of the two sectors. Argues that the "different but equal" policy is…

Data on 1995-96 private college faculty and administrator compensation, based on tax returns of 477 colleges, reveals half the presidents received raises outpacing inflation. Fifty received no raise. Overall, the highest paid were medical faculty, although 47 coaches and athletic directors were among the highest paid at their institutions.…

A study investigated medical students' expectations of the medical school environment and opinions of their academic experience in three areas (teaching/administration, psychological aspects of student life, intellectual climate) near the end of their first year in two parallel curricula: a problem-based learning program and a traditional…

A study compared scores on identical tests in internal medicine for two groups of graduating University of Toronto (Canada) medical students: those in a traditional, lecture-based curriculum (TC) and those in a redesigned curriculum with less didactic instruction and more clinical experience (NC). All comparisons showed a significantly higher…

Investigates geography knowledge in junior high through undergraduate college level males and females and reports males out performed females in all aspects of geography knowledge and map skills. The gap widened with increased education and was still significant after accounting for numerous personal information items. Knowledge-based and…

Examines three assumptions that underlie the argument that shared governance must be reformed, and based on the professional literature and experience, counters them. The assumptions are that the bureaucracy appropriate for industry is appropriate for a higher education institution, democratic decision making undermines effective college and…

University students in two advanced introductory psychology courses were offered simultaneous enrollment in a community service-learning course. Students selecting the option did not differ from nonparticipants demographically, or in self-reporting personal development gains or final grades, but did report enhanced ability to apply concepts…

Describes results of a meta-analysis that was conducted to determine whether there was a difference among the responses of secondary urban, rural, and suburban students to computer- assisted instruction. Discusses effect sizes and comparing mean effect size by educational setting. (LRW)

Examines the effects of different kinds of rich contexts for vocabulary learning based on second language oral input. The article compares the number and kinds of words learned through exposure to a dialogue or video, or by first listening to an oral account of the dialogue situation and then hearing the audio soundtrack without visual support.…

A new model for college fact books is proposed, to create a new generation of institutional research reports that offer more comparative and unit- or topic-specific information, with illustrations, that would be useful for current decision-making needs. (MSE)

Describes a study of the effectiveness of the Colorado Core Transfer Program (CORE), or general education course requirements at all state community colleges. Indicates that students who completed CORE transferred more credits and completed courses at a higher rate than noncompleters, but that no significant differences in grades were found. (AJL)