Predictors of persistence previously found useful in distinguishing successful from unsuccessful distance learners were assembled in a 60-item survey. The survey was completed by 259 learners enrolled in associate's, bachelor's, or master's level distance learning courses in accounting, business administration, information services, criminal…

Purpose: This paper aims to demonstrate that students' self-evaluations contribute to improving academic results and life skills. Design/methodology/approach: Taking as reference a group of previously validated scales (part 1: measurement), a causal model is developed. Hypotheses are tested through the structural equations methodology by using the…

On the premise that there are certain practices that influence students' intrinsic motivation for academic engagement, this study examined the congruence between a teacher's goals and practice with regard to autonomy. Self-report data were collected on seven sixth-grade elementary school teachers concerning their goals for their math classes.…

This paper reports the results of an initial exploration into the attitudes and practices of some selected Canadian distance educators regarding a learner-centered view of education. Twenty-nine Canadian distance education teachers and administrators responded to questionnaires concerning attitudes toward distance education, student autonomy in…

The necessity of balancing the need for togetherness and the need for separateness in intimate relationships has been well documented in family research. To investigate cross national differences in the value placed on autonomy versus togetherness in close relationships, 2,079 college students from Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, the…

This survey investigates how the students of social philosophy modify their criteria on basic questions of social justice. A questionnaire of 30 questions, with 5 options, was developed. The five answer/options correspond to the following five schools of social philosophy (five ways of thinking): (1) liberal individualism; (2) humanitarianism; (3)…

The study developed a definition of "independent living" for handicapped individuals and evaluated the definition's seven domains using data provided by 3,758 handicapped members of the 1980 sophomore cohort of the High School and Beyond National Longitudinal Survey (N=14,553). The seven domains are: (1) self-care and advocacy skills;…

How successfully a student responds to the stresses of college life depends on several factors, including the time of onset, the degree of perceived threat, and the student's repertoire of coping skills. This study was conducted to determine if personal adaptability or ego-strength in college students could be predicted from knowledge of…

A passive participant observation method was used in three classrooms to determine the decision-making opportunities provided by special education teachers to moderately and severely intellectually limited students, ages 16-21 years (N=105). Teachers provided such opportunities through verbal directions, nonverbal communications, and in the…

Learned helplessness often precedes depression. The elderly are more likely than the general population to be faced with uncontrollable events which may bring on learned helplessness. Intervention by gerontological counselors has been useful in reducing effects of helplessness. With pseudohelplessness, persons act helpless in order to control…

Among the conditions necessary for learning to occur within the educational process are those of intentionality and guidance. A learner must necessarily be allowed choice in entering into educational transactions. Autonomy on the part of the learner in the educational process is not an option, but a necessary condition for the proper functioning…

Success in transaction and interaction in the foreign language classroom depends on teachers and students knowing the parts they have to play and how they relate to those that others have in learning encounters. Various roles of teachers and learners are defined. (CB)

Explores likely directions for the future of adult learning research. Describes three research areas that will serve as a foundation for future efforts: (1) the teaching-learning transaction, (2) participation, and (3) self-directed learning. (CH)

Reports on a study designed to compare the effects of two instructional treatments in which the experimental treatment emphasized self-management, goal clarification, and individualized course expectations. An increase in science locus of control was found to be significant for the experimental group. (TW)

Uses data from survey of 880 Kentucky farm women to present theoretical framework integrating microsocial, household economy, and farm structural perspectives to explain gender allocation of farm-specific tasks and decision making. Finds self-identity validated by participation in farm tasks/decision making, but, overall, women indicate low levels…