Three possible causes for the low porportion of female school administrators are examined: differences in male and female socialization, sex discrimination in hiring, and meritocracy. The authors describe two institutes designed to help women achieve higher administrative status and a research project which examines the careers and backgrounds of…

Briefly reviews the syndrome in which medical students begin to take on the symptoms of their patients. Discovers that, although studying psychological disorders decreased students' anxiety about their own mental health, it increased their concern regarding family members. These students also are more likely to seek psychological treatment. (MJP)

Profiles new CD-ROM technologies for middle schoolers, in the fields of mathematics and science, aimed at motivating and holding student interest. Describes three titles (Math Heads, Sunny Math, and The Ultimate 3-D Skeleton) in terms of manufacturer, capabilities, platform, and price. Several additional titles are described more briefly. (SD)

Briefly reviews the declining enrollment rates for undergraduate economics majors. Observes that after record enrollments during the 1980s, interest in a bachelor's economics degree dropped sharply in the 1990s. Discusses possible reasons for this decline and provides statistics. (MJP)

Postulates five reasons for declining undergraduate enrollment in economics including corresponding decline in business enrollment; slowdown in financial services; competition from other subjects; decline in student academic skills; and a decline in faculty teaching skills. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of each argument. (MJP)

This article explores the relationships between vocabulary knowledge and text readability. It discusses how procedures used by readability formulas to assess the vocabulary factor can over- or underestimate text difficulty by counting syllables rather than assessing what the reader knows about the words in a text. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Surveys of preservice teachers in an elementary music education class examined their attitudes toward using multicultural and interdisciplinary materials and activities involving music, literature, and art. Participants also developed lesson plans introducing different cultures. Results indicated that participants had culturally neutral images and…

Two studies explored employment age discrimination for public school teachers. Principals nationwide evaluated hypothetical teacher candidates with different ages and focal positions. Screening decisions had a disproportional impact for older individuals seeking positions with perceived higher physical activity levels. Age discrimination did not…

Information from meetings on the legal aspects of child sexual abuse is used a starting point for a discussion of risk management and program improvement plans intended to safeguard child care center staff from unwarranted accusations. A full-page chart of "Self-Defense Strategies" is included. (DR)

Reviews evidence in support of the primacy of the personal relevance orientation in science education. Provides a quick review of four other orientations and their shortcomings for curriculum planning. Orientation reviews focus on: (1) the development of cognitive processes; (2) social adaptation and reconstruction; (3) academic rationalism; and…

Discusses teachers' responses to a survey on teacher competency testing. Describes Georgia's competency test and its results. Investigates the use of classroom performance as a test factor. Presents Georgia's test development process. (MLV)

Issues related to prison libraries are discussed in six articles. Topics covered include the history of American penitentiary ideology; standards for prison libraries; the controversy as to whether prison libraries should serve prisoners or be used as penological tools; and the lack of knowledge about prison libraries within the general library…

Provides an overview of situations relating to censorship in school libraries and offers advice to teacher librarians seeking to broaden their base of support. Strategies discussed include a written, board approved collection policy and ongoing public relations programs. Resources to aid in collection policy formation are described. (13…

Compares belief systems of preservice and inservice teachers, focusing on whether the two groups make instructional choices based on their theoretical orientations. Finds that practices chosen by teachers with reader-based/holistic orientations reflected their beliefs, while the practices of teachers with mastery-of-skills orientations did not.…

Research into student attrition in college science education has identified fundamental differences between the way students in the physical sciences are taught and the way students in the social sciences or humanities are taught. Implications for academic advising include having advisors attend science classes and informing science faculty about…