This study tested the effects of two group-oriented supportive and educational approaches on the parents of children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Thirteen families were randomly assigned either to a group which received information on medical and technical aspects of CF or to a group which received instruction in communication skills in addition to…

An interim study was conducted in Kentucky to determine the effectiveness of Competency Based Vocational Education (CBVE) and to compare its effectiveness to that of traditional teaching methodologies. Research surveys of those directly involved in the implementation of CBVE were used to ascertain if CBVE is meeting its self-stated goals.…

Two methods of reading instruction (homogeneous grouping and graded classes) are compared for 165 students in 8 rural North Dakota schools by raw gain scores, residual gain scores, and the analysis of covariance. (CK)

A study compared costs and effectiveness of online learning (OL) with traditional face-to-face teaching methods. Six case studies (from New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia) provided data on these of two types of OL: (1) mixed-mode delivery using the computer and Internet in a classroom and (2) use of OL in distance education. The Webb…

This report synthesizes the findings of a study of continuing training policy in nine countries of the European Community: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The following are among the topics discussed: the study's objectives and methods; characteristics of new forms of work and…

The AIM (Assessment, Instruction, Mastery) system is a performance-based assessment that was developed in Oregon. The AIM system was piloted by 83 volunteers and staff from 18 volunteer-based programs to assess the system's usefulness as a means of collecting and aggregating data on student progress in adult literacy and similar programs in…

This document contains three papers on human resource development (HRD) in Asia. "The Experiences of HRD Professionals Participating in Continuing Professional Development in Taiwan" (Yu-Shu [Jason] Chen) reports on a study that was based on the method of hermeneutic phenomenology and conducted to describe and interpret the experiences…

Dual diagnosis of comorbid substance abuse and mental disorder is currently presenting great difficulties across Australia's health and community service sectors. Historically, mental health professionals have received relatively little formal education or training in substance abuse issues. A new curriculum on dual diagnosis was developed and…

This study compared student teachers' computer use in two universities--the University of Guam and a U.S. mainland university. Teacher education in the two universities took a different approach in providing computer training to preservice teachers. One offered a stand-alone computer training core course. The other integrated computer training…

The present study is concerned with the smaller secondary schools, those schools which in the main afford the opportunities for secondary education to the children of the smaller centers of population and rural areas. In order to make the picture as complete as possible, the study has included high schools with enrollments ranging from fewer than…

In a four-year, longitudinal study conducted between 2000 and 2004, the author followed 700 students as they progressed through three high schools: a diverse, urban school as well as two suburban schools. Although incoming freshmen at the urban school scored significantly lower in mathematics than incoming students at the two suburban schools, by…

Many graduate and professional programs include Problem Based Learning (PBL) as a mainstay in their curricula. For many undergraduate students, this is a change from a teacher-centered to a student-centered learning method. This study was undertaken to learn about perceptions and test performances of college students (N=116) enrolled in liberal…

The authors present a program of research on the teaching practices of 1st-year teachers that has evolved within a partnership between and among a university and area school districts. The research links observed 1st-year teaching practices with school level (elementary, middle, high school) and type of teacher preparation (traditional bachelor's…

The World Health Organization has encouraged a whole-school approach when trying to promote mental health and well-being in schools. The Internet-based School Well-being Profile aims to be a holistic well-being evaluation tool for schools. Well-being is divided into four categories: "school conditions", "social relationships",…

As part of its mission, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is committed to the development of the community of researchers who work in the area of assessment both nationally and internationally. The association also has a commitment to provide policymakers with the types of data and analyses that will…