In this journal issue, articles examine various aspects of measuring creativity, productivity of gifted individuals, fostering psychological well-being of the gifted, and federal funding of gifted programs. Specific articles include: (1) "The Death of Creativity Measurement Has Been Greatly Exaggerated: Current Issues, Recent Advances, and Future…

This paper introduces a new instrument for assessing teacher motivation and uses it to compare the motivations of male and female teacher trainees in Jamaica. The results are then contrasted with the gender specific motivations that researchers have found for teachers in other parts of the world. The instrument is a three factor model based on a…

This multimedia program (a CD-ROM and a teacher's guide) features reading comprehension activities to encourage students to read for meaning. It includes exercises for 100 intermediate level books that are commonly available in classrooms or libraries. The program provides 20 "island destinations" that contain activities that assess comprehension,…

Noting that lack of student motivation is one of the primary reasons students drop out of school and that lack of student motivation is particularly evident at the onset of adolescence, this study compared multidimensional motivation gains of middle school students who were heterogeneously grouped according to motivational level to gains of those…

This report is one in a continuing series of progress reports on the effort to increase the general level of emotional competency in the state of Rhode Island. This initiative, involving several departments of state government and other agencies comprising the Rhode Island Emotional Competency Partnership, is being targeted at various segments of…

In this activity, students reinforce an antenna tower made from foam insulation so that it can withstand a 480 N-cm bending moment (torque) and a 280 N-cm twisting moment (torque) with minimal deflection. One class period is used to discuss the problem, run the initial bending and torsion tests, and graph the results. The second class is used for…

This study on accountability designs for underperforming schools focuses on probation as a tool for policy. Findings are based on the analysis of state performance data, the reading of approximately 100 school improvement plans, and the study of 11 focal schools in Maryland and Kentucky. Test-score data from Maryland show that probation is…

This presentation describes how to use reading to improve second language acquisition. Part 1, "Building Awareness of Reading Habits and Attitudes," has students report their habits and attitudes about reading in English and their native language and recognize the importance of reading for improving English skills. Part 2, "Choosing a Book," has…

This document reports the results of a study that assessed the effects of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) on students' skills and knowledge. The study analyzes the effect of using ICT on students' skills, motivation, and attitudes, and describes teachers' experiences with and views on the potential of ICT. (YDS)

This book offers a research-based, practical approach to recognizing, managing, and preventing teacher burnout. It provides a description of the origins and symptoms of burnout and a personality profile of teachers who are most susceptible to burnout. Organizational issues and administrative roles that contribute to burnout are identified, along…

Research has shown that student mid-term feedback has significantly increased subsequent ratings of teacher effectiveness, student achievement, and student attitudes when the feedback results were accompanied by expert consultation. A gap in the literature is an instrument intended to provide specific feedback on systematic planning and delivery…

Noting that the use of rewards in the form of stickers, trophies, prizes, points, tokens, and grades is commonplace in elementary education today, this book explores the differences between rewards and recognition and shows how teachers can build student confidence, motivate learning, and develop skills for lifelong learning through recognition.…

In Colorado, 8,663 high school seniors from 132 high schools in 91 districts (more than half the districts in the state) participated in a study that posed the following questions: What motivates today's students in school? and How prepared are these students for their future? The study found the following: (1) high school seniors are motivated by…

This monograph examines tenure and pay structures in Canadian universities, focusing on hiring, tenure, promotion, salaries, and termination; and examining the employment relationship from both economic and managerial perspectives. After briefly reviewing the concept of tenure, the discussion moves to career hierarchies and pay structures,…

This study sought to identify factors that motivated students at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Cyprus to major in elementary education and to compare the high school scholastic ability of these two groups of students. Questionnaires were completed by 157 randomly selected male and female Pennsylvania State University and 176…