Recent needs assessment studies are reviewed, with emphasis on the needs of adult learners and of needs assessors. Three general purposes of needs assessment are described: (1) providers of educational services are interested in what their market (adult population) wants; (2) public agencies are interested in whether or not all segments of the…

Extracts from a journal kept by a French-speaking adult student in an intensive German language class are presented here. It is a critique of the audio-visual method, texts, teaching techniques, and students' reactions during the two parts of the course at the University of Berne. The extracts deal particularly with a comparison of the texts used…

Prior to attending Mount Wachusett Community College, Massachusetts, all freshmen are required to undertake a Comparative Guidance and Placement (CGP) test which yields raw scores in reading, sentences, math, and academic motivation. Based on the scores on the continuous independent variables measured by the CGP test and the dichotomous…

The Behavior Rating Checklist (BRC) was developed in the Austin Independent School District to evaluate the counseling component in the Elementary Secondary Education Act Title I compensatory education programs for students in kindergarten through grade 5. The BRC was developed by: defining the behavior on which the counseling activities focused;…

The paper provides a review of research on the interrelationship of classroom management practices, motivational factors associated with the disposition to learn, and basic skills achievement. The underlying intent of this paper is to examine evidence relating to a potential conflict between a traditional-practices approach to basic skills…

A survey of program administrators, interviews with program personnel and State employment service officers, and a research review were conducted to develop guidelines for meeting the occupational and training needs of undereducated adults. Data from programs in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Missouri, Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia,…

A study compared two groups of adults in a suburban community who were attending weekly classes on a voluntary basis; one group attended avocational classes in the public school and the other, classes in a Protestant church. The purpose was to learn whether sex, occupational role, family status, family background, education; influence of friends,…

The teacher and instructional objectives for mentally retarded children are discussed, and traditional bases for objectives are detailed, including treating deficiencies, compensating for deficiencies, training for social competence, teaching the academic tool subjects, and strengthening motivation and self esteem. New bases for instructional…

This study compared the ability of the ACT Assessment Battery (ACT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and six other variables to predict first semester Grade Point Average (GPA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a "highly selective midwestern university". Additional purposes were to determine: (1) the effect of using…

A decline in student performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Achievement Tests, the American College Test, and the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test has been observed nationally since the mid 1960's and evidence indicates that very similar trends have occurred in Massachusetts. Score declines have occurred in public, private, and…

For more than twenty years controversy has existed in the Armed Forces over the kind of knowledge and training electronic maintenance technicians should have. The Navy and Air Force have conducted research projects in this area, and for the Army the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) has developed several methods to improve the…

This address to school counselors discusses the role of aptitude and attitudes in learning French as a second language with attention to the senior elementary and high school levels. The Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) and the Attitude Motivation Inventory (ATI) were administered to students. The MLAT and abilities it is designed to assess…

Suggestions for communicating and therefore teaching college students effectively are put forth. Emphasis is on lively interactions between students and teachers, with additional focus on the instructor's need to understand student needs both in the classroom and after graduation. Specific methods are illustrated with classroom examples for…

Evaluation plays an important role in the academic career of students and instructors. It is a concept that is repeated throughout the academic year and one that determines future roles and placement of students. This report is a summary of the findings of the first two years of a five-year research study of evaluation conducted at Edinburgh…

The migration, adjustment, and integration patterns of Canadian Indian and Metis families in an urban setting were studied. Data were collected in 1968 via a 64-item interview schedule administered to a sample of 71 families moving into the city of Winnepeg, Canada. Addressing the problems of migration, adjustment, and integration, analysis…