This description of an illuminative evaluation process as a qualitative research method focuses on a study of concerns about financial constraints in the British Open University. Interviews and open-ended discussions were used to encourage participation and input by a wide variety of individuals with differing perspectives on the problem. (LRW)

Discussion of the use of video material with younger children focuses on projects in Great Britain that were designed to develop modular videotapes for classroom use by students aged 3 to 11. The use of videodiscs and video recorders is reviewed, and interactions between children, teachers, and television are described. (LRW)

Three articles discuss various aspects of computers in elementary education: (1) the use of electronic information services with elementary students in Maryland; (2) the introduction of computers into classrooms with students aged 10-12 in Switzerland; and (3) the use of microcomputer-based simulation in the United Kingdom to encourage…

Three articles address various issues concerning staff development. Topics discussed include challenges facing professional development in higher education; who has responsibility for staff development; and implications for staff development based on a survey of Non-Advanced Further Education (NAFE) in England and Wales. (LRW)

Describes resource sharing among Japanese university libraries, including interlending policies, provision of services to external users, the government role, and the national Scientific Information System network. Statistics on library holdings, annual acquisition levels, and expenditures are provided. (15 references) (CLB)

Describes PLEXUS, an expert system for information retrieval related to gardening, designed at the University of London for use in public libraries. Focusing on the semantic problems encountered, methods used in artificial intelligence and information science to resolve them are discussed, including classification and facet analysis. (Author/LRW)

Discusses qualities necessary for good science education television, presents criteria that can be used by program makers and viewers to judge the outcomes, and describes study that used interviews with teachers and students to evaluate three British educational science programs aimed at 14- to 16-year-olds. (LRW)

Describes a survey that examined the effects of increasing serial subscription costs on American and Canadian research libraries. Strategies adopted by libraries are described, including faculty and campus involvement, retrenchment, long range planning, and shared resources. Relationships with publishers and the possible impact of electronic…

Reviews several issues facing public libraries, including the impact of information technology and its effect on traditional library services, the need to select library administrators who are comfortable with the technology, and the need for lay bodies that oversee library services to be aware of the complexity of the situation. (Author/CLB)

A January 1986 UNESCO international conference on the role of higher education in promoting international understanding, cooperation, peace, and respect for human rights focused on the nuclear threat and conventional warfare, the role of international governmental and nongovernmental organizations, research and education for peace, and…

These three articles address the information needs of the rural population in both developed and developing nations. Information systems and dissemination in Kenya, rural information and advice services in Great Britain, and activities of public libraries, a community college library, and a mining company information service in Australia are…

Worldwide, the absolute number of illiterate adults continues to grow. The following topics are discussed: those in need of literacy education; pre-literacy programs; the changing role of post-literacy efforts, i.e., efforts to help adults apply literacy skills; strategies for literacy campaigns; and illiteracy in industrialized countries. (RM)

This essay, intended for use with secondary grade students, describes the current world situation regarding food and population and discusses likely prospects for feeding a hungry and growing population. Student resources for further reading and research are provided. A separate teaching guide is included. (RM)

This annual report for 2002 describes the year's activities, achievements, and financial status of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, a private foundation based in The Netherlands operating internationally to improve opportunities for young children from birth to age 7 living in circumstances of social and economic disadvantage. Following the…

These two volumes provide information on the scope of adult and community education (ACE) in Australia and implications for improved data collection and reporting. Volume 1 begins with a glossary. Chapter 1 addresses project objectives and processes and methodology. Chapter 2 analyzes the scope and diversity of ACE in terms of what is currently…