This report provides an overview of current trends and opinions in public higher education. State representatives of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities were surveyed regarding opinions held by key institutions and individuals influencing public higher education at the state level. Top issues identified by policymakers and…

In each Canadian province, governments appear to be more and more intrusive into the day-to-day operations of their universities. Governments in such provinces as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Alberta are concerned with making the universities more cost-effective and more "accountable" to the government and to the public at…

On-line performance assessment was developed to maximize the usefulness of performance assessment and to minimize the time and labor costs incurred. This paper reports on the development of an on-line performance assessment instrument, focusing on the establishment and validation of the scoring rubric and its implementation in the Rasch model, the…

The Florida Teletraining Project (FTP) was funded by the Department of Defense to test the feasibility of using a video teletraining network (VTT) (two-way audio/two-way compressed video) to present military instruction to reservists in Florida. The program was to be conducted by two-year community colleges in collaboration with armed forces…

This paper reviews research literature on year-round schools (YRS) for the British Columbia Ministry of Education. The literature review is organized around the goals of the British Columbia Ministry of Education: (1) impact on student in terms of academic achievement, attitudes, and behavior; (2) costs and benefits; (3) facility use; (4) impact…

This paper addresses the financial value of the teacher librarian, outlines areas in which this value can be identified, and indicates measures that can be used to demonstrate this value. The four major financial areas in which the value of the teacher librarian can be assessed are: (1) capital investment, made up of the building, stock, and…

The California Employment Training Panel (ETP), which was designed as a performance-driven training program, pays agencies for training provided only if the trainee is placed and retained in a related job for 90 days. The labor market experience of ETP trainees was tracked from 1989-90, 1990-91, and 1991-92 to measure the impact of ETP training on…

Two documents are presented here. One is a report of the Texas state health department concerning the immunization needs of the state's population, the extent of federal, state, and private financial support for public vaccination programs, legislation and current efforts to extend immunization to all children, and future directions for…

This report presents the results of a review of the costs and benefits of specialized accreditation of higher education institutions and programs. The review surveyed 110 programs in 6 disciplines (business, engineering, interior design, nursing, physical therapy, and teacher education) at public and private community colleges, colleges, and…

Gaining access to current and high-quality curriculum resource materials has become more difficult due to escalation in the prices of textbooks and in rigid interpretations of copyright laws which limit photocopying. Internet Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and files may offer a partial solution. Originally developed for the benefit of Usenet…

The aim of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) training is to provide RAAF personnel with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary for them to do their jobs effectively. This paper discusses the issues involved in implementing a training system using the Royal Australian Air Force Distance Learning System (RAAFDLS) as a case study. To…

This text gives an overview of distance education for students, administrators, and practitioners in distance education. Chapter 1 discusses the study of distance education. Chapter 2 analyzes forms of nonconventional education (open, nontraditional) that may have similarities to distance education but are not to be identified with it. Chapter 3…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) examined the extent to which the financial aid provided under Title IV of the Higher Education Act to students enrolled in proprietary schools is being spent to train individuals for demand occupations. Job opening projections in 12 states were used to estimate job demand, the National Center for Education…

This report describes a study to investigate the improved efficiency and effectiveness of prison library provision in England and Wales, through the development and validation of relevant performance indicators to be used as part of quality assurance programs. Prison libraries perform important educational, rehabilitative, and recreational…

The focus of prekindergarten-grade 12 education has changed from maintaining a democracy to producing people who will enter college to become the scientists and engineers required to maintain the U.S. economy. Students who do not "fit" that curriculum are to be ignored. Despite the widening gap between the numbers of individuals preparing for…