First, third, fifth and eleventh graders were videotaped as they completed the Block Design Subtest of the WISC-R. Neither the order of placement of blocks within each design nor the degree to which children persisted in placing a given block correctly before moving to the next one evidenced developmental differences. (Author/RD)

Examines the relationship between academic advising and student persistence in undergraduate psychology programs. Research findings indicate that students with clearly defined academic goals are more likely to complete undergraduate degrees. The author stresses departmental faculty responsibility for academic advising and recommends the…

Studied the generalizability of Jochim's Premature Termination (PT) scale. Using the recommended cut-off scores, 50 percent of the subjects were classified inaccurately or unclassifiable. The best cut-off score for this sample produced an error rate of 36.9 percent. Suggests directing attention to personality blends may maximize counselor and…

The influence of an adult model's degree of persistence and statements of confidence were studied with 100 first and second grade Black and Hispanic children from a lower-class, urban school. The model duration of performance and statements of confidence increased the children's degree of persistence. (Author/GK)

Twenty-eight learned helpless children (ages 9-13) assessed as reading below grade level were randomly assigned to one of four reinforcement and attribution retaining treatments. Indirect and direct attribution retaining increased childrens' reading persistence and their attribution of failure on the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility scale…

There are several ways in which boarding school administrators can help their teachers have better lives, i.e. by offering flexible career planning, making a philosophical commitment to the teachers' continuing education, and offering greater financial security through imaginative financial planning. (AN)

Points to the advantages of a long tenure for community college presidents in terms of opportunities for long-range planning and president-board relationships. Suggests ways of maintaining flexibility and enthusiasm throughout a long term in office. (AYC)

Adult assistance procedures were experimentally compared for their effects upon the preschool child's tendency to persist in self-selected manipulative tasks in a free-play setting. (JMB)

Discusses the many problems that youth-at-risk face and what can be done to help them succeed. Focuses on insights gleaned from former childcare clients and factors that they identify as contributing to their resilience and subsequent success. Looks at principles that may predict outcomes of childcare. (RJM)

This study identified behaviors used by 12 kindergartners with hearing impairments and their typical peers (n=30) to enter social pretend play in the home corner area of an integrated kindergarten. Results showed that the children with hearing impairments used primarily nonverbal entry behaviors and tended to be less persistent. (Author/CR)

Examined the efficacy of an ACT-based merit index in predicting undergraduate college students' first-to-second-year retention. Results indicated that the ACT-index, although a significant predictor of retention, failed to predict retention as well as the more traditional ACT-Composite score. Evidence did indicate, however, that further…

Examines the prevalence of demographic risk factors related to student success and compares these factors across three different groups of students: current students, graduates, and nonreturners. Reports that key findings indicate that nonreturning students had substantially greater rates in three risk factor areas: (1) working full-time; (2)…

The Perceived Faculty Support Scale was completed by 300 associate degree students who persisted to completion, 83 who withdrew voluntarily, and 75 who withdrew due to academic failure. Factor analysis yielded the dimensions of psychological and functional support. Students who perceived greater faculty support were more likely to persist.…

Suggests that distance education students' perceptions of psychological presence of teachers, peers, and the institution can be predictions of learning. Defines perception of presence, or transactional presence, and describes a study at the Korea National Open University that investigated perceptions of transactional presence as predictions of…

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)