Path analysis examines an analytical model of decision making by lending officers of 211 Texas banks when recommending agricultural technology to farmer-clients. Model analyzes effects of loan officers' ascribed/achieved personal characteristics and perceptions of organizational constraints during three stages of decision process: using…

Board members should learn from two court decisions about the limits the First Amendment places on chain-of-command policies. Employees who have complaints about matters that affect the public may not be prohibited from bypassing the superintendent and coming directly to the school board. (MLF)

Recommended materials, assignment formats, and strategies for a course emphasizing development of functional proficiency in commercial French and focusing on three areas (context, practice, and verification) are outlined, including lectures, abstracting of readings, readings, long-term projects, and weekly projects. (MSE)

Teachers can be encouraged to share ideas which can result in the development of a cooperative curriculum. How one school helped teachers react positively to an interdisciplinary skills program is discussed. Charts outlining study, thinking, reading, and writing skills for a program involving social studies, English, and science are included. (RM)

Outlines national language policy for Australia, taking into account the culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse society, as well as role of English and uses of other languages in the community. Since English is the dominant language, all citizens and permanent residents have a right to learn it to level of proficiency that meets their…

Public Agenda was asked by the Nebraska State Board of Education and the Nebraska Department of Education (referred to hereafter as the State Board and the NDE) to help design and implement a public engagement process that would allow a cross-section of the state's citizens to comment on the central ideas contained in the document "Equitable…

This paper looks at the pressures under which academics in Australia are currently working, with special regard to small regional universities. Some time will be spent in explaining the situation and context of those working in the field of education at Northern Territory University as an example. In many respects small regional universities are…

In 1994, when the researchers conducted the research that lay the foundation for Equipped for the Future (EFF), adult learners told them that building and maintaining a strong family was a powerful motivator for their return to school. They wanted to set a good example for their children--to show them that getting an education was important. They…

This edited collection addresses the growing need for ideas and methods conducive to holistic educational practices and aims to encourage more personal growth in students too often distracted by the background noise of war, violence, racism, and environmental deterioration. The contributors are working teachers and professors who have integrated a…

Electronic portfolios represent an assessment measure with strong potential for providing feedback about student performance to improve curricula and pedagogy, determining individual students' mastery of learning and providing feedback for improvement, and actively involving students in the assessment process. This study examined the relationship…

International cooperation in Distance Education which is a very popular phenomenon today can be explained by the rise of social constructivism in social sciences, namely Education and International Relations, for the purpose of this paper. Social constructive approach in International Relations with its emphasis on building social bridges via…

Invaluable for anyone looking to understand young children's thinking, this essential textbook helpfully combines introductions to theories about thinking with observations from real-life practice. The book explores underlying theories behind topics such as: (1) the relationship between nature and nurture; (2) models of cognitive development, with…

Adapted from a speech to Japanese high school students in an English track program, this essay responds to the common question, "What is the best way to learn English?" First, it is noted that English can not be learned directly from dictionaries and grammar books, by empty repetition of words and phrases with passive attitude, with fear of making…

This guide describes a series of ways to translate research findings and general ideas on youth violence into day-to-day teaching and learning in homes and schools. Five sections include: (1) "Teaching and Learning Core Social Emotional Competencies" (e.g., what educators, counselors, and parents can do, and promoting core social and…

Universities and colleges accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education are facing the prospects of measuring dispositions related to teaching. Dispositions selected for teacher candidates at the University of West Alabama are characteristics desirable in N-12 candidates. This pilot study was designed to assess…