The development and validation of an instrument designated as the Classroom and School Community Inventory (CSCI) are described. Scores on both the classroom form and the school form of the CSCI possess strong content validity, construct validity, internal consistencies, and 2-week test-retest reliability. Using a sample of 341 traditional and…

This study investigated learning vocabulary in group work at university in Vietnam. The students were studied in two kinds of group settings, "unassisted" and "assisted", the first consisting of five students from the same class level and the second of four from the same class and a student from a higher class. Differences were…

Although schools contain many material artifacts, studies in classrooms have tended to focus on discourse and quality of social interaction even when artifacts are being used. Responding to Engstrom's (1999) invitation to take artifacts seriously, three studies are described in which a material object was essential to a classroom activity. The…

In this article, the author talks about the disproportionate gap in the graduation rates in colleges and universities, which highlights the need for the higher education community to rethink strategies for improving the retention of students of color. To increase the graduation rates of students of color, the author suggests addressing the issue…

This report provides the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving "three key priorities" for Nebraska's postsecondary education system: (1) Increase the number of students who enter postsecondary education in Nebraska; (2) Increase the percentage of students who enroll and…

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to examine the dynamic interaction between the racial and academic identities of African American, undergraduate students who were enrolled full time at an academic institution of higher education that was both a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), and a predominately White institution (PWI).…

The purpose of this report is to take a closer look at the experiences of Latina/o students who transfer from the California Community Colleges (CCC) to the California State University (CSU) or the University of California (UC). The authors examine the role of the CCC in the postsecondary education of Latina/o students, the characteristics of…

The authors examine how peer relationships influence students' academic success. After defining peer groups, the article considers the ways in which students' peer networks facilitate or inhibit access to academic resources. The authors argue that the composition and purpose of a peer group influences academic achievement and students' likelihood…

As a growing number of high school age students turn to community college campuses for a jumpstart on their collegiate lives, aging baby boomers are heading back to school for training--or perhaps even second or third careers. The composition of the American student body is changing: At one end is youth and unbridled enthusiasm and, at the other,…

The case for small schools has been made in educational research since the 1960s, when scholars such as Barker and Gump argued that smaller schools provided students with greater opportunities for participation in various extracurricular activities. The value of small schools was further supported in the 1980s by research on public and private…

This paper reports and discusses the results of a study that was undertaken to determine factors that influence choices that secondary school students make between enrolling in community college or university, and in particular whether or not those choices are affected by the degree of "articulation" within a public system of…

This paper includes four components: (1) short theoretical presentation of campus environmental assessment/design; (2) presentation of two large mapping procedures and their implications for campus community consultation; (3) integration of assessment data with consultation for environmental design purposes; and (4) discussion of paraprofessional…

A sample of 88 seniors completed the 1971 Senior Survey questionnaire (Part II) concerning their experiences at the State University of New York, Buffalo. These students had a generally favorable opinion of the SUNY/B faculty they knew, and they expressed a somewhat more positive view of faculty in their own departments than of others. The…

Simple guidelines for administrators, faculty and students can prevent a university from having a communications breakdown. (Editor)