The Third International Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS) has tested large and representative samples of students from around the world to measure their math and science knowledge and skills. The results place U.S. 8th grade students below the international average in mathematics, with 20 countries scoring significantly higher than the U.S.…

The participation of women in graduate studies and mathematics-related careers remains a social and economic problem in the United States. Part of a larger study to understand this lack of participation, here we present preliminary findings of girls who are high achievers in middle grades mathematics. This interpretive study documents girls'…

This transcript produces verbatim a workshop on advanced placement (AP), international baccalaureate (IB), and other challenging high school courses. The major goal of the proceedings was to increase access and improve preparation in high schools. The sessions addressed the common perception that AP courses are elitist but that the number of…

This transcript reproduces a Department of Education/College Board sponsored discussion on ways to expand advanced placement (AP) opportunities in high schools. The deliberations opened with a presentation by Phil Chavez, an assistant principal in San Antonio, Texas, who outlined the genesis and development of the AP program in his predominantly…

This survey of graduate work in engineering has for its objective the presentation of the development and present status of graduate work in engineering in this country. The relatively rapid changes that have taken place in engineering education in recent years have caused greater activity and increased responsibility in graduate departments,…

Trends in college foreign language requirements and enrollment are reviewed, and the experience of Carleton College is outlined. The college's efforts to strengthen languages' role in the upper division curriculum have included special efforts to create interesting courses and incentives for further study, extracurricular activities, study abroad,…

For Blacks to participate fully in higher education and professional achievements, colleges and school districts must work cooperatively to prepare Black high school graduates academically. Programs initiated by Indiana University Northwest and the Gary Public Schools identify promising high school students, steer them toward advanced courses, and…

Defines basic characteristics and types of social conversation within small groups and gives guidelines for classroom practice stressing preliminary discussion of situations, topics, appropriate vocabulary, and language style. Discusses teacher's role during students' conversation practice and describes materials suitable for initial practice.…

Detailed and wide-ranging suggestions are offered for reforming Australia's higher degree requirements. The author, an Australian PhD, compares them with requirements in other countries and finds them "particularly regressive, unenlightened, intellectually counterproductive, undemocratic, and uncivilized." (JSR)

Analysis of National Assessment of Educational Progress achievement scores, 1975-92, indicates that nonmetropolitan 17-year-old students scored only slightly lower than metropolitan students in reading and mathematics, and at the same level in science. Comparatively faster improvement during the period was seen in Southern nonmetro scores and…

Describes a student-centered reading comprehension course for advanced English-as-a-Foreign-Language students of science and technology. In the course, student interest in and knowledge of content-area subjects are used to create: (1) motivation to read; and (2) an authentic task to accomplish (the preparation and presentation of an oral report).…

Higher-order thinking skills in science and mathematics were compared for high school students in large and small schools, controlling for SES, number of advanced courses offered, and enrollment rate in those courses. School size, number of advanced courses offered, and rurality had no effect on high-order thinking skills. (KS)

This paper argues that, although the current system of postgraduate-year-one (PGY-1) education for dentists is not promoting reform in licensing practices, the potential remains. Two scenarios, one in which advanced general dentistry remains voluntary and one in which it becomes mandated, are outlined and implications for licensure reform are…

Presents a study on the availability of 12 school subjects in Israeli high schools that are differentiated by their ethnic composition. Asserts that curricular decisions based on matching subjects with assumed student academic abilities results in the monopolization of highly valued knowledge by privileged social groups. (CFR)

This article is drawn from a large-scale ongoing study on linguistic progress in advanced French as a second language (FL2). The performance of 48 English-speaking students who spent their third year of university in France the "experimental" group) has been compared to that of 39 classmates who chose to stay and study at home in…