The development and operation of the Federally funded Ventures in Community Improvement Demonstration Project (VICI) and its impact on participant youths and communities are summarized in this report. VICI's purposes were (1) to provide young, minority, inner-city, high school dropouts with intensive skills training in the workplace that could…

This evaluation report focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the 38 lessons in the 1976-1977 version of "Skills for Ethical Action," (SEA). SEA is a program based on a set of audiovisual instructional materials developed to teach junior high school students a behavioral strategy for acting ethically. The overall objective of the SEA…

A two-year study was undertaken in Massachusetts to evaluate the impact of vocational education on released ex-offenders. In the first year, evaluation procedures and interview instruments were developed, a survey of inmates was conducted, and the data collected was analyzed and summarized in a report. Since the second year of the study was not…

The Productive Thinking Program (PTP), consisting of 16 programmed lessons designed to develop productive thinking skills, was used as the basis of a program conducted with 546 fifth graders in 21 classes in four upstate New York school districts. One hundred and twenty students from one of these districts were involved in a modified Solomon Four…

Assessment has at two purposes--to improve teaching and learning and to promote greater external accountability. Determining an appropriate assessment approach depends on clear knowledge of what is intended, solid research about available instruments and about the experiences of other institutions, and a diagnosis of the local organizational and…

Reported four new studies as continuations in a program designed to increase personal happiness using 14 characteristics incorporated into a course of study for community college students. Collected findings indicated that the program is effective as a tool for short-term happiness enhancement with evidence suggesting long-term gains. (LLL)

This study examined high-performing after-school projects funded by The After-School Corporation (TASC), to determine what characteristics, if any, these projects shared. Evaluators reanalyzed student performance data collected during the multi-year evaluation of the TASC initiative to identify projects where the after-school program was…

Service-learning is a form of instruction in which students design projects to address community needs as part of their academic studies. Many afterschool programs use service-learning to help improve youths' academic achievement, develop their leadership skills and strengthen ties to their community. With proven benefits, service-learning is…

Found that school psychologists who participated in a cognitive-behavioral stress-management training program showed decreased anxiety and increased job satisfaction. Teacher satisfaction with school psychological services also increased after participation in teacher inservice workshops generated as a result of training the school psychologists.…

Interviews with 2,000 children (ages 10-16) and their caretakers revealed that two-thirds of the children had been exposed to child abuse and victimization prevention programming. Programs that involved practice, prompted discussions with parents, and included information on dealing with bullies were more likely to result in skill utilization. The…

A study among medical residents (n=50) at the University of Montreal and Laval University (Quebec) found that a structured series of 12 seminars dedicated to psychotherapeutic interventions by family doctors was effective in raising students' knowledge levels, perceived skills, and attitudes. Skills of the "how-to" type improved more…

Reports results of task force survey. States that the goal of a political science degree program is to maximize students' capacity to analyze and interpret the significance and dynamics of political events and governmental processes. Offers recommendations in subject matter content, methodology, teaching, and skills. Concludes that the major…

A study based on data from 1,500 students at 20 colleges and universities found that students who combined community service and academic study (service learning) differed from those who did not, in their target attitudes, skills, values, and understanding of social issues. Participation in service learning had an impact on these outcomes over the…

Traces the history of Singapore's personal and social education program called Pastoral Care and Career Guidance. Identifies the components and rationale for the new initiative called Affective and Career Education that includes programs for the development of life skills. Addresses restructuring the knowledge base of teacher education. (CMK)

Details the work of Claudia Vangstad who expanded the range of the MRI approach to transform a school culture. Vangstad significantly increased her effectiveness not by limiting applications of the MRI problem-solving approach to individuals, but rather by expanding the range of approach to include larger units: psychoeducational groups,…