Despite the widespread nature and significant impact of trichotillomania (TTM), relatively few controlled studies have evaluated treatment options for people with this disorder. Pharmacological treatment and behavior therapy are the two most widely accepted approaches to treating TTM, but few mental health professionals with appropriate expertise…

To address a public relations problem faced by a large urban public school district in Texas, we conducted action research that resulted in an audited self-monitoring system for high-stakes testing environments. The system monitors violations of testing protocols while identifying and disseminating best practices to improve the education of…

The authors describe the development and validation of a test of career planning confidence that makes possible the targeting of specific problem issues in employment counseling. The scale, developed using a rational process and the authors' experience with clients, was tested for criterion-related validity against 2 other measures. The scale…

This paper innovatively extends the application of transactional distance theory (TDT) to evidence-based policy development in Mauritius. In-depth interview data on student persistence from a range of stakeholders is used to understand the implications of distance education (DE) policy deficit. Policy deficit has surfaced as another dimension of…

Most successes in intelligent tutoring systems have come in well-defined domains like algebra or physics. We investigate how to support students in acquiring ill-defined skills of intercultural competence using an online environment that employs clips of feature films from a target culture. To test the effectiveness of a set of attention-focusing…

A pilot center was established in Yaroslavl, Russia, to train business clerks using German curricula and training that could be applied to Russian conditions. Choice of Germany as a model was due to increasingly developing cooperation with that country in the field of vocational education. The Russians analyzed German curricula and worked out the…

The techniques of instructional design that have been applied to the preparation of distance materials for independent learning are now being applied to the production of materials that are to be used in flexible delivery of subjects. This allows subjects to be offered which require face to face work but can also have a major component of…

This paper describes the initial analyses needed to help institutions of higher education plan majors in nursing and allied health as institutions look for new markets based on demographic and employment factors. Twelve variables were identified and weighted to describe an ideal recruitment market. Using a three-phase process, potential U.S.…

Statewide learner competency and assessment systems in 11 states were examined. Information was gathered through telephone interviews and a review of materials on the learner competency and assessment systems being used/developed in each state. Special attention was paid to the states' activities regarding development of the following: systematic…

In a survey of educational researchers, school and district administrators, and policymakers, 1,818 respondents rated educational practices and policies according to their influence on learning and assessability. Classroom practices, design and delivery of curriculum, and schoolwide practices were rated as more influential than federal, state, and…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the leadership factors that emerged during the planning and implementation of a neighborhood schooling program for special education students with mild and moderate handicapping conditions in 12 schools in an urban school district in a community in the southwestern United States. Leadership is…

This final report represents the responses of 76 institutions to the 1990-91 annual survey of the Division of Independent Study, National University Continuing Education Association (NUCEA). Data describe enrollments and program practices in college-level, high school, and noncredit programs. Eight tables and five figures provide information on…

A groundswell of interest in values education is calling educators to return to the direct and indirect teaching of positive values. Prompted by scandals in the public domain and breakdown in families, character education is gaining ground in public education. Adhering to the "bag of values" approach to moral education and drawing upon…

Research has found that effective schools can be distinguished from less successful counterparts by five characteristics. These are: strong instructional leadership; high expectations for all students to learn; an orderly and positive learning environment; a carefully developed instructional focus; and regular measurement of student learning.…

The history of technical and vocational education in Singapore goes back only to the mid-1960s, when it received attention in response to the policies of industrialization adopted when Singapore became an independent republic. Establishment of the Industrial Training Board (ITB) in 1973 was the first significant step toward formalizing vocational…