This book consists of the edited transcripts of 19 interviews conducted with two- and four-year college students ranging in age from 25 to 65, who returned to school to complete degrees, work toward new degrees, or merely take classes. Drawing from the interviews, introductory comments offer generalizations about adult students returning to…

The effects of parental separation and home environment factors on children's cognitive creative abilities, specifically in the area of divergent thinking, were studied. A total of 64 female and 52 male children from 58 single-parent families and 58 two-parent families enrolled in grades 3 through 5 participated in the study. Subjects were sampled…

Since 1974, student surveys have been conducted in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) to gather information on student goals, plans, academic preparation, characteristics, financial aid, and evaluations of college services. In spring 1987, a random sample of 15% of the current enrollment at each college in the LACCD were surveyed…

The Maryland Longitudinal Study (MLS) participants and non-participants are compared on several pre-enrollment and University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) academic/enrollment history variables. The purpose is to assess how confidently generalizations can be made to the larger student body from the student studies as part of MLS. Two basic…

To maintain the legacy of freedom from the Age of Enlightenment, educators must effectively teach about the interrelated ideas of modern science and constitutional democracy in both social studies and science courses. The United States most directly and fully exemplifies the civic and scientific ideas which have developed as a result of the Age of…

In fall 1986, a study was conducted at Illinois' William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to provide a student profile for general information purposes, to gather data not available on the college's automated student data file, and to analyze WRHC's market outreach. Surveys were mailed to random samples of 500 credit degree students and 300 continuing…

Focusing on the integration of early reading and writing skills, a study examined the instructional use of daily dialogue journals over a 5-month period in a class of 10 third-grade Native American students living on an Indian reservation in northern Michigan. Students were required to make an entry of at least three lines every day, all writing…

Arguing that consultative and authoritative frameworks for rural development programs allow those in a superior position to define development priorities and to determine when and to what extent those in subordinate positions can participate, this paper outlines the need for participative-group management of such projects. The paper notes that…

In 1960, Mount St. Mary's College (MSMC) opened the Doheny campus as an alternative for students who had potential for college, but who were not eligible to enter MSMC's traditional baccalaureate campus. The Doheny Campus has consistently developed innovative programs to enable students to successfully complete associate in arts degrees and also…

To understand how to best motivate the Mexican American student, one must look not only to the factors considered relevant to achievement in mainstream Anglo American society, but also to specific problems faced by this minority group. Language barriers, cultural differences, economic background, and family attitudes combine to affect the…

Prepared as part of a British project investigating children's language at home and at school, the study described in this paper centered on an examination of the spoken and written narrative texts produced by children to determine (1) the relationship between spoken and written texts; (2) the differences, if any, in the production processes used…

Three issues of a University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) newsletter by and for teaching assistants (TAs) are presented. Each issue focuses on one of these themes: where to go, experiential learning, and peer group learning. Topics include: TA minigrants up to $250.00 that are funded by UCLA Office of Instructional Development through the TA…

In 1987, a study was conducted by Johnson County Community College (Kansas) in cooperation with local public school districts to determine the career and educational interests of the county's public high school students. Surveys were administered in class to 11,477 freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, requesting information on high school…

This study was conducted to determine causes for attrition among students in an Adult Basic Education (A.B.E.) program located in a non-metropolitan area. Dropouts and completers were compared by demographic characteristics and by sources of difficulty (nonschool-related, school-related, and affective) in attending class. In addition, causes for…

Counseling support for adult students entering a distance teaching program at Deakin University, Australia, and evaluation of this service are described. Admission is granted to adult students without formal educational qualifications, and a counseling program provides information on the demands of university study and possible role conflicts that…