This paper presents the rationale, research design, analytical approaches, and results of a graduate admission study which examined the motivation and enrollment decision processes of students accepted to a newly redesigned Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program. The study was developed collaboratively by the institution's Office of…

Adolescents' best friendships are often believed to contribute to their psychosocial adjustment. This study examined the relationship between students' adjustment to school and the positive features, negative features, and frequency of interaction in their friendships. Participating were 106 students, 90 percent of whom were white, in a small…

This document contains four symposium papers on learning organization issues. "How Action Learning Builds the Learning Organization: A Conceptual Analysis" (Michael Marquardt, Ty Alexander) is a systematic examination of four subsystems of learning organizations (learning dynamics, organization renewal, people empowerment, knowledge…

The paper considers the effects of study abroad on student second language acquisition (SLA) and suggests areas for further study. It begins with an overview of current research on study abroad, its relationship to foreign language programs, and the innovations that this growing research base holds for program development. Attention then turns to…

This study investigated the contributions of entering characteristics and college experiences on student satisfaction and degree completion using the input-environment-outcome assessment model developed by A. W. Astin (1995). A total of 594 college students who had started college about 5 years previously completed a survey about their college…

This study examined 12 educational outcomes for a group of undergraduate students who began their freshman year in fall 1990. Data came from: the 1990 Entering Student Survey (student characteristics, academic skills, study habits and plans); the 1990-91 Freshman Outcomes Survey (family support, study habits, faculty/staff contact, social and…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that compared family needs and sources of support perceived by 55 Puerto Rican mothers of young children (ages birth to 5 years) with disabilities residing in Puerto Rico and 39 of their Puerto Rican counterparts living in Florida. The relationship among perceived family needs, sources of support, and…

Whereas many prior studies evaluated the association between borrower or institutional characteristics and default behavior, the general finding of most researchers today is that college success plays a bigger role in predicting who will default than either the background of the borrower or the type of institution attended. All else being equal,…

Compared attitudes of junior high (N=894), high school (N=999), and college (N=846) students who responded to a questionnaire concerning high school status. Results confirmed that athletics remain the primary determinant for high school status among males. The influence of age and previous participation in athletics was examined. (JAC)

An evaluation of a Des Moines program, in which the relationship of student background and program achievement was examined, is summarized. It was found that more instruction in English was beneficial in the first year of schooling, but had diminishing effects during the second and third years. Implications for similar programs are discussed. (MSE)

All teacher evaluation forms completed in the arts and sciences division of a large community college were analyzed. Multiple regression was used to predict teacher rating. Items relating to teacher characteristics as perceived by the students (e.g., "tries to help students understand," etc.) had a consistant impact on rating. (Author/MLW)

Discusses the "5 percent fallacy," which refers to the number of older people living in institutions at a given time, and the likelihood of an older person dying in an institution. Three articles discuss research methodology, data interpretation, and measuring techniques. (JAC)

Presents an analysis of a set of syllabuses from a graduate-level academic institution and relates syllabus design and mode of instruction to the use of library resources by students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses. Course syllabuses are discussed as indicators of potential library use. Five data tables are included. (Author/JL)

The first phase of a longitudinal study of effects of social origins, schooling, perceived influence of significant others, and self-concept on college aspiration is more explanatory for men than women but shows parent, teacher, and peer influence to have a major impact for all. The social-psychological theory is criticized. (MSE)

Differences in ratings of the same instructor teaching the same course on two different occasions are related to differences in background characteristics: (1) higher levels of workload/difficulty, (2) higher expected grades, and (3) instructor experience. (PN)