This study examines the instructional experiences of a national sample of 1992 high school seniors in the subjects of science and mathematics. The study analyzes data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). The information on instruction comes from the NELS:88 1992 survey of teachers, which collected questionnaires from…

This study presents a summary of the major research findings on the factors that constrain girls' schooling in Sub-Saharan Africa. The factors are discussed under three categories: (1) sociocultural and socioeconomic factors; (2) factors related to the school environment; and (3) political and institutional factors. The study provides an outline…

Researchers have long sought to enhance the academic achievement of low income, minority children. To understand adolescents' achievement motivation and persistence, investigations must focus on both the contexts of achievement and the characteristics of adolescent participants. In line with this aim, this study investigated a group counseling…

Two lines of research are synthesized in this study: (1) structural aspects of children's narrative discourse and (2) the role of maternal styles of talking with young children. Personal narratives of 20 Japanese preschool children, aged 4 and 5 years, and their mothers were analyzed for developmental differences in the 2 age groups. Then…

This 12-section course is designed to explain the responsibilities of an incident commander at the scene of a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) transportation incident. It was created for the U.S. Department of Energy WIPP located near Carlsbad, New Mexico, which receives radioactive shipments. The course has two purposes: (1) to provide first…

No one denies that students have many more distractions today than in days gone by. The need for family involvement in a child's reading progress joins a surge in American society for parents to take more responsibility for their children's character and in the condition of their communities. Some hints for parents in establishing family literacy…

This longitudinal study investigated changes and continuities in the quality of communication between parents during the period when the oldest child in the family passes through the transition from childhood to adolescence. Furthermore, possible links were explored between adolescents' differential assessments of the quality of relationship with…

This report addresses the high incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE) among Native Americans and suggests that there is a lack of comprehensive effort to provide outreach services to the Native American population in Illinois. The report begins with an overview of American Indian history and the migration of…

Contributions to this book were prepared by specialists on Asian education. They explore curricular and classroom processes for basic education, new developments in secondary education, innovations in private education, linkages of education and society, and systemic issues in Asian education, considered for their implications for education in the…

This booklet provides some guidelines for preparing African American students for college. Parents' experiences with higher education are a key to shaping their expectations for their children, and the lack of direct parental experience can be a handicap for students who will be the first generation of their families to attend college. Educators…

The collection of essays on discourse as a form of social interaction includes: "Discourse as Interaction in Society" (Teun A. van Dijk); "Discourse Pragmatics" (Shoshana Blum-Kulka); "Conversation Analysis: An Approach to the Study of Social Action as Sense Making Practices" (Anita Pomerantz, B. J. Fehr); "Institutional Dialogue" (Paul Drew,…

The four papers in this annual volume on the history of higher education cover some of the changes that evolved over the years in various U.S. institutions. The first paper is: "The Harvard Tutors: The Beginning of an Academic Profession, 1690-1825" (John D. Burton), which discusses the shift from Harvard's original tutorship model to…

Sixteen graduates of rural high schools were interviewed and asked to describe specific interactions with adults during their high school days that had significantly affected their thoughts about themselves or their future. Brief discussions examine the reasons that teachers have an impact on rural adolescents, what constitutes a "rural"…

Recent research has provided great insight into the impact of early experience on brain development. It is now believed that brain growth is highly dependent upon early experiences. Neurons allow communication and coordinated functioning among various brain areas. Brain development after birth consists of an ongoing process of wiring and rewiring…

This study examined the social interactions and emotional adjustment of 21 preschool children of battered women and 25 same-age children from nonviolent homes. Mothers rated the frequency of their emotional and physical abuse during the past year, their mental health, parenting qualities, and their child's adjustment. Two observers evaluated the…