Presents an investigative study in an introductory college-level microbiology course in which students work in teams to assess the bacteriological safety of a vermicompost facility on campus. (SOE)

Uses a "fictitious-annotated-titles" survey to determine reading preferences of fourth-grade girls and boys. Finds that both boys and girls prefer fiction over non-fiction; girls preferred fiction more strongly than boys; and boys preferred male main characters more strongly than the girls, and girls preferred female main characters more…

Created the Student Intention Survey to identify community college students' goals, accomplishment of these goals, and how they relate to retention. Results helped explain student retention in terms of goals and intentions, and identified factors related to positive and negative attrition. (EV)

Examines the perceived needs of incoming freshmen on a newly created instrument, the Freshman Survey. The instrument contains four scales with items related to personal/emotional, social, academic, and career needs. Freshmen indicated higher pre- and post-orientation needs on the academic and career scales. Also discusses student needs with…

Tested the dimensionality of a course evaluation instrument and examined the association between course participants' level of satisfaction and their likelihood of recommending the course to others. Findings for 9,101 teachers in Hong Kong show that the developed survey is capable of measuring a satisfaction factor. (SLD)

Third through sixth graders (n=4,514) scoring at or above the 95th percentile on standardized achievement tests reported on their educational experiences. Although 40% of students were in pull-out programs, 37% were not receiving any special programming. Gender, grade level, and type of school (public vs. private/parochial) explained little of the…

Examines what kinds of jobs English major graduates of Lehigh University were actually doing in the real world, how they felt about having majored in English, and what benefits they saw from their degree. Finds that the alums were by and large delighted that they majored in English and would strongly recommend it to others. (SG)

Surveyed medical students about their exposures to and perceptions of gender discrimination and sexual harassment (GD/SH) in selected academic and nonacademic contexts. Findings included that more women than men reported all types of GD/SH across all contexts, and that GD/SH is prevalent in undergraduate medical education, particularly within core…

Surveyed students about their decision to enroll at the Unitersity of Transkei in an attempt to determine causes for declining enrollment. Found that career directions and affordability were main criteria. Public image and stability, staff quality, facilities and resources, administrative efficiency, staff friendliness, admissions/registration…

Seeks to remedy a lack of studies that make direct comparisons using specifically designed instruments. Builds upon a previous parallel study comparing the views of teachers from Spain and England on problem solving by examining pupils' opinions of problems and the difficulties they encounter when trying to solve them. (LZ)

Heavy-drinking college students tend to overestimate the prevalence of heavy drinking among their peers. Twenty-six heavy-drinking students participated in a survey study of drinking. They were randomized to receive or not receive, by return mail, personal feedback of their drinking compared to population norms. Feedback subjects showed greater…

Quantifies beliefs of high school students about links between skin cancer and global environmental effects. Some students confused the action of heat rays with that of ultraviolet rays and also thought that raised temperatures are culpable. Only one in 10 held the scientifically correct model: that ozone depletion via higher penetration of…

Examines the extent of credit and non-credit offerings in entrepreneurship and small-business management in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). Indicates that entrepreneurship training and education is not a priority at all Virginia community colleges. Finds that there is strong demand for such offerings from students enrolled in the…

Analysis of data from a survey of 105 social work students found significant relationships among hardiness (the ability to manage difficulties), spiritual well-being, and self-esteem. Spiritual well-being and hardiness were found to be strong predictors of self-esteem. Discusses the need to explore the role of spiritual well-being and implications…

Notes a decline in numbers of doctoral students interested in academic careers and identifies six negatives of an academic career. Reports on a survey of 2,000 doctoral candidates and junior faculty that found that quality of life factors more important to respondents than tenure and salary, especially important were the institution's geographic…