Abstracts of reports of eight research studies on computer uses in children's education are presented. Topics covered include (1) LOGO computer language; (2) computer graphics for art instruction; (3) animation; (4) problem solving; (5) children's use of symbols; (6) an evaluation of a Chapter 1 program involving children's computer use; (7) peer…

Examines how family and religious variables are associated with adolescent substance abuse in a sample of 322 adolescents and their parents or guardians. Results support social learning theory in that associating with peers who use drugs is the major factor that contributes to adolescent substance use. (SLD)

Surveyed elementary and secondary school students (N=2,290) from four rural school districts to measure incidences and attitudes toward drug and alcohol use. Subjects' responses indicated that social learning theory was feasible theory for explaining drug involvement in the young. Suggests that intervention with drug and alcohol education programs…

Interpersonal and intrapersonal risk for substance use were investigated for 1,170 Caucasian and Hispanic American sixth and seventh graders, equally divided by gender. Mean use levels did not differ for ethnic groups. Across both gender and ethnicity, susceptibility to peer pressure and peer alcohol use were the best predictors of substance use.…

Provides descriptive information about and reactions of 110 high school students to peer groups in urban high schools serving predominantly African-American students. Schools can encourage positive attitudes toward students who are academically inclined. Schools need a more comprehensive understanding of peer groups to minimize the influence of…

Interviews with 39 rural North Carolina students with, or at risk for, behavioral disorders found that they responded to social isolation by creating their own school subculture that reinforced their marginalization and negatively affected academic competence. Educators must consider the relationship between social interaction and learning.…

Outlines steps used in implementing Project ASSIST [Aiding School Systems in Establishing SAP (Student Assistance Programs) Training], a culturally sensitive, school-based, peer helping program for Native-American youth that addressed substance abuse. Data from a needs assessment and program evaluation indicated that more successful schools had…

Describes the Language and Learning Seminar, a college course at York University, Ontario, that is designed to help students with learning disabilities grapple with learned helplessness issues. The supportive group process of learning therapy is embedded into the writing course, helping students address the emotional concomitants of failure and…

Two chapters of a serialized book develop the idea that attention-deficit disorder is created by the conventional school's rigid enforcement of a spirit-deadening "order" that suppresses children's natural behaviors. Anecdotes from Albany's Free School describe incidents in which two very active and intelligent boys developed some…

Explored pathways of influence linking parenting practices, child perceptions of their parents and peers, and social adjustment. Found parenting practices were related to peer- reported social behavior, peer dislike, and child social problem solving. Children's perceptions of parenting experiences were related to their social problem solving and…

This study examined the effectiveness of an urban peer mediation program. Third- and fourth-grade students were trained as conflict managers to mediate schoolmates' conflicts. They mediated 323 conflicts during the school year; most successfully. Most conflicts involved physical and verbal attacks. Mediation usually resulted in agreements to avoid…

Asserts that conflict is inherent in school culture, and that respect and responsibility cannot be imposed on students. Explains that when these values become part of the norm of everyday interactions between students and adults in school, improvement will occur. Recommends character education, peer mentoring, and peer conflict mediation.…

In the context of schooling, resiliency refers to the ability to thrive academically despite adverse circumstances. In this study the relationship between academic resilience and student's collateral learning is explored in 20 students of Cree ancestry. The individual resilience of each student was examined by identifying protective factors for…

This study assesses the effects of three factors on dropping out of high school and later drug use: antecedents to dropout; predictors of drug use articulated by criminological theories (e.g., social bonds, peers, and strain); and postdropout factors associated with adult social bonds (e.g., marriage and employment). Two findings emerge from the…

The social structure of the school with its norms, values, beliefs, and practices ostracizes some students. By studying the behavior and motives of students who kill at school we will be better positioned to understand the role played by school officials and other students in creating an environment that ignores fundamental differences among…