The General Accounting Office (GAO) examined the impact of formal total quality management (TQM) practices on the performance of 20 selected U.S. companies that were among the highest-scoring applicants in 1988 and 1989 for the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. Several key indicators used by companies to measure performance were analyzed.…

A study was conducted of the educational role of the principal in elementary schools under two educational policy alternatives. The study joined perspectives on the role of the principal with policy initiatives to strengthen schooling along two lines: common high student performance standards for all and redesign of the connection between the…

This paper discusses the results of a study of 27 college students with deafness that investigated whether cognitive processes are modality dependent in individuals with deafness. The experiment included two separate parts, one composed of shape trials and the other composed of word trials. An initial stimulus was shown on a computer screen for…

This study examined the relationship between children's gender-typed conversational styles and joint problem-solving performance. Sixty preschool children between 4 and 5 1/2 years completed three problems with a same-sex or opposite-sex peer. Two structured tasks, copying a Tinkertoy model and stringing beads; and one unstructured task, building…

This research abstract is based on two studies: first, "Student and Instructional Outcomes under Varying Student-Teacher Ratios in Special Education" and, second, "A Case Study Analysis of Factors Related to Effective Student-Teacher Ratios", both by Martha L. Thurlow and others. The studies investigated the effects of various student-teacher…

This paper addresses the personological aspects relative to male and female success in two subject areas (math and science) and addresses specific concerns in the area of mentoring. Personality factors operative for success in math and science are reviewed, and teachers are advised to encourage, support, and facilitate those personality traits…

By keeping abreast of the latest research in the field, music educators can better understand how practicing helps students to use practice methods that are the most effective. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative effectiveness of modeling and silent analysis on the performance ability of advanced elementary school…

This report presents the manner in which a systemic approach of combining standards, assessment, and accountability into a unified set of laws and regulations has been coming onto the state scene for the past 2 decades. A complete performance-based education accountability system includes four components: standards and assessment, multiple…

This resource guide, the first of three volumes, lays out the fundamentals of outcome measurements for assistive technology. It includes the whys and hows of gathering data so that assistive technology practitioners can integrate outcomes measurement activities in their daily practice. Chapters include: (1) "Concepts and Rationale for…

A preliminary study tested the reliability and validity of an instrument that was constructed to identify and measure the various dimensions, tasks, and worker characteristics associated with performing the functions of a director of forensics. Three-part questionnaires were mailed to 210 forensics programs, representing both public and private…

A comparison of teacher appraisal systems in Georgia and Texas demonstrates many similarities between the two programs. The Georgia Teacher Evaluation Program identifies effective teaching practices, areas where development can improve instructional effectiveness, and teachers who do not meet minimum standards. The Texas Teacher Appraisal System…

Research on Vygotsky's zone of proximal development theory was used as a foundation to investigate differences in the learning and transfer ability of 30 students with learning disabilities (LD) and 30 students with matched low achievement (LA), from grades 7 and 8. The two groups were assessed on their problem-solving ability on a balance scale…

The purpose of this study was to examine the causal relationship between teacher commitment to the school organization and job satisfaction in a model of teacher commitment using longitudinal career ladder data. Two focal measures (commitment and satisfaction) and demographic predictors from 854 teachers were analyzed for this study. Cross-lagged…

On the basis of teachers' ratings of impulsivity, a group of 20 preschool children with a mean age of 51 months were assigned to groups of impulsive and non-impulsive subjects. Both groups were administered two measures of impulsivity as pre- and posttests: the Draw-a-Line Test and an adapted version of the Matching Familiar Figures Test. In…

This guide for teachers is designed to be used with the Mentally Tough principles for junior and senior high school students. Each chapter in the teacher's guide parallels a chapter in the book for students. The activities suggested in each chapter cover a variety of skill areas and will accommodate a variety of learning styles. They are grouped…