The validity and reliability of two techniques of assessing writing proficiency were compared in a sample of 300 South African students (in Standard 8) for whom English was a second language. The objective, multiple choice method was compared with a subjective, essay method. Students completed a Standard English Second Language Item Bank Test and…

The Further Education Unit (FEU) believes that young school leavers should be able to check their achievements against a core of entitlement. Therefore, the FEU is proposing a core curriculum to support the successful transition of the school leaver aged 16 or older to adult life. The core, which is intended to serve as a diagnostic and planning…

A directory of United Kingdom (UK) organizations and centers that provide services of interest to language teachers and researchers is presented. The organizations are associations and societies that are concerned with language, linguistics, language teaching and research, and the most important groups concerned with educational technology and…

The relationship between the internal structure of the Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education (GIAE) in rural Australia and the structure of the social and physical environment are considered, based on a sociological case study. A review of higher education covers the technical school system, the development of colleges of advanced education in…

A survey of all staff of the University of Queensland was conducted to gather: information on the participation of women in the university, particularly with regard to structural barriers and direct or indirect discriminatory practices that disadvantage women more than men; and information on opinions regarding the standing of women in the…

Grade retention data were collected from the Campbell River, British Columbia schools to determine the prevalence of retention and its effect on school completion. An extensive survey was administered to 52 parents and 204 educators to assess attitudes towards grade retention. Individual interviews were conducted with eight teachers from various…

These proceedings contain 50 papers. Selected brief titles include: "A Comparative Analysis of Costs and Perceived Effectiveness of Postgraduate Continuing Education for Mississippi Pharmacists" (Bellande); "A Conceptual and Empirical Perspective on Adult Education Program Planning Theory" (Boshier); "Self-Directed Adult Learning" (Brookfield);…

The key to New Zealand's future prosperity lies in the promotion of science and technology. Two major issues are identified: (1) the need to close the scientific and technological manpower gap that is increasingly being experienced; and (2) the need for a re-organized system of vocational education. The implications for teaching and learning in…

The results of current research in higher education in Finland are described in 11 articles, published with the aim of reinforcing contacts with international researchers. Articles' titles and authors include: "University Development, Social Change, and Regional Policy" (Ari Antikainen); "Research on the Economics of Higher…

This trainer's guide is intended to assist supervisors of work-based career training projects in helping students develop telephone usage skills. The guide is one in a series of core curriculum modules that is intended for use in combination on- and off-the-job programs to familiarize youth with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for…

This trainer's guide is intended to assist supervisors of work-based career training projects in teaching students to use a microcomputer to develop and manage a visitors book (a record of who visits a business). The guide is one in a series of core curriculum modules that is intended for use in combination on- and off-the-job programs to…

This trainer's guide is intended to assist supervisors of work-based career training projects in teaching students the uses and costs of the tools used for various jobs. The guide is one in a series of core curriculum modules that is intended for use in combination on- and off-the-job programs to familiarize youth with the skills, knowledge, and…

This trainer's guide is intended to assist supervisors of work-based career training projects in teaching students the following aspects of producing printed circuit boards: planning and drawing circuit diagrams, using the equipment and tools needed to produce printed circuit boards, using an oscilloscope and probes, calculating the cost of a…

A collection of papers on language testing addresses these topics: language tests seen from a communicative viewpoint; microcomputers and testing; productive second language skills; developing teachers' assessment skills; content validity of holistic tests; statistical regression in group conversation tests; reading comprehension; unique…

Data from a national survey of students and teachers working within Norway's system of mixed-ability instruction in the elementary and early secondary schools suggest that, after ten years of implementation, the teaching and testing system is workable and that some aspects work relatively well. Instruction in English as a second language in a…