Increased opportunities for undergraduate students in agricultural and natural resource disciplines to write for diverse audiences besides their instructor may increase motivation to write and improve student writing skills. The objectives of this teaching research were to determine and compare the initial writing experience of students enrolled…

This study analyzed the factors that affect student success in an online computer programming course. The study had two with two main objectives. The first was to examine relationships among selected variables (gender, age, educational level, locus of control, and learning style), motivational beliefs (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal…

Two job analyses were conducted to define knowledge domains for newly certified chemistry and physics teachers, respectively, to perform their jobs competently. The results of the job analyses will be used to develop test specifications for the Praxis II Series subject Assessments in Chemistry and Physics. Initial draft domains were prepared for…

Although both blacks and whites have made important gains in education over the past two decades, it is apparent that blacks continue to trail whites in many areas. These findings outline some of the educational differences between blacks and whites. Black children still start school with less preschool experience than white children. Gaps in the…

This guide is intended to help schools develop linkages with the federal Medicaid program, particularly the Early and Periodic, Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) program, a comprehensive and preventive health care system for Medicaid-eligible individuals up to age 21. The guide aims to: (1) acquaint schools with State Medicaid agencies…

The purpose of this project was to strengthen consumer and homemaking education programs in New Jersey by increasing the competence of home economics educators to meet the needs of school-age pregnant and parenting students through their programs. The objectives of the project were: (1) to field test a curriculum designed for school-age pregnant…

This portion of the annual report of the New York State Education Department on the status of state schools contains the individual district profiles. Information is derived primarily from information submitted by the superintendents of the various school districts. Schools are characterized as New York City, large city, other city, suburban, and…

An assessment course for teachers is described that uses validity as the primary focus. Five dimensions of validity for classroom-based assessments are highlighted in a course that relies on the use of a process portfolio. The five dimensions are: (1) looking at the content of the assessment in relation to the content of the domain of reference;…

Summer school is thought to be an effective alternative delivery mode for Chapter 1 education. The effectiveness of summer Chapter 1 programs was studied during Fall 1993 in 68 Chicago (Illinois) public schools. Students who had been in fourth grade in 1991-92 were divided into a group that had received Chapter 1 help during the school year and…

This paper describes findings from a set of extended observations of 15 public school teachers in an effort to gain insight into classroom assessment procedures. Two elementary school, seven middle school, and six high school teachers were observed over 5 days by dividing time into 10-minute intervals. Attention was given to the amounts of time…

This review of research and literature examines issues related to the identification of potentially gifted students from groups most likely to be underrepresented in gifted education programs, including racial and ethnic minority groups, economically disadvantaged students, and those with limited English proficiency. Three major reasons for…

Using a data base compiled by the Graduate School of Northwestern University, a longitudinal study of the graduate school careers of 2,211 students in 14 programs was conducted. Among the most prominent findings was the increase in the enrollment of foreign students. The patterns of attainment of graduate school milestones, such as Ph. D.…

Establishing and refining a framework for performance assessment is especially difficult in large-scale settings that can involve hundreds of judges and thousands of students. This presentation advocates the interactive use of two complementary analytic perspectives and illustrates the approach in the context of the College Entrance Examination…

A theoretical model describes the components of academic studying focusing on antecedents as well as the consequences of studying. This study uses correlational means to explore the relationship among student characteristics, study activities, and outcomes for 42 education majors. Study activities were assessed with a self-report questionnaire.…

This publication consists of 14 selected papers prepared for an international workshop on the problems and relationship between producing vocational competencies for skilled-worker level occupations and controlling and certifying these competencies. Part I outlines the production life and labor market contexts of vocational training and…