Describes study of undergraduates that measured the effect of audiovisual channel correspondence during television news programs on attention and memory. Learning variables in multimedia presentations are discussed, reaction time with visual and auditory probes is examined, factual memory and visual memory tests are described, and implications for…

Describes a weekend residential trip at a British outdoor education center aimed at assessing primary students for the National Curriculum. Instructors constructed personal profiles based on assessment of math, science, geography, and technology and observation of personal and social skills. Formal assessment was conducted during structured group…

Teachers at an interdisciplinary magnet middle school in Pensacola, Florida, collaboratively developed performance assessments to help them evaluate defined student processes and outcomes shown in student writings, oral and electronic presentations, and other portfolio offerings. In interdisciplinary schools, collaboration between curricula and…

Discussion of the use of part-time faculty looks at college policies and practices influencing hiring of part-timers, problems emerging from part-time appointments, and policy and structural changes needed to increase the effectiveness of part-time faculty. It is concluded that while the problems cannot be resolved to everyone's satisfaction,…

Proposes a framework for examining academic careers and illustrates how it can help categorize findings from various research studies. It then discusses how modifications in graduate education and employment practices may affect different aspects of academic careers, giving particular attention to use of part-time and adjunct faculty. (MSE)

Increasing proportions of science and engineering faculty are in non-tenure-track positions. While part-time and other flexible scheduling options can be beneficial in meeting individual and departmental needs, resulting changes affect faculty careers, students, and the quality of academic research. Recommendations for improving the situation are…

The Northern Virginia Community College's challenge of meeting escalating demands with declining resources has resulted in spiraling increases in part-time faculty hiring. The overarching problem is not the growing number or increasing proportion of adjunct faculty, but institutional neglect of this important faculty group, and its exclusion from…

Research shows that adolescent girls face developmental issues and need camp programming providing involvement with trusted adults, community service opportunities, safe places, and avoidance of loneliness. In other research, race was more important than gender in leisure choices, with blacks having smaller, less influential, peer groups than…

The faculty career is changing in response to external and internal pressures. Discusses pressures for institutional change, current faculty demographics, and possible institutional responses including modifications to traditional tenure systems (changes to the probationary period and time base of tenure, productivity concerns) and faculty career…

Describes a study of college students that examined the instructional effect of visual and verbal metaphors in facilitating student achievement of different educational objectives. The effect of students' verbal ability and the amount of time they spent interacting with their respective instructional modules were also measured. (Author/LRW)

Provides rates of student participation in various summer activities by characteristics such as grade level,race/ethnicity, and parents' highest educational level. In 1996, 9% of students in grades 1 through 12 attended summer school, and 38% participated in other organized summer activities. (Author/SLD)

A study examined the impact of functional assessment interventions on appropriate and challenging behaviors of 75 typical children (ages 3-6), 60 children at-risk, and 75 children with special needs. Functional assessment procedures resulted in a decrease in challenging behavior and nonengagement and an increase in active engagement and peer…

Examines the effects of program mode (i.e., a lean program version containing a basic amount of learner practice versus a full mode containing expanded practice) and learner preference (matched or unmatched) for amount of practice on the achievement, time-in-program, and attitudes of university undergraduate students. Students preferred the lean…

A study identified several problems encountered by nine Newfoundland schools while converting to a team leadership model: time restraints, school management concerns, limited perceptions of leadership, district interference, personnel changes, apathy, dysfunctional politics, goal-setting difficulties, reduced professional-development…

Describes a journal-based orientation course at a small, public two-year technical college. Reports on a study of 160 students which found that the orientation-course grade was a better predictor of student success (as measured by timely graduation and grade point average) than high school rank and far superior to the American College Testing…