This study was conducted to determine causes for attrition among students in an Adult Basic Education (A.B.E.) program located in a non-metropolitan area. Dropouts and completers were compared by demographic characteristics and by sources of difficulty (nonschool-related, school-related, and affective) in attending class. In addition, causes for…

A model of attrition for specially admitted black students (low high school achievement and low assessed college aptitude) at the University of Pittsburgh was tested. The majority fell into the lower end of a socioeconomic range and often had inadequate precollege preparation. The attrition model was examined using a linear structural equation…

This instructional package consists of activity guides, materials, and background information on selected areas pertinent to the self-development of a native American Indian participant group. Covered in its six units are the following topics: self-image and success (motivation and success, personal discovery, tools and assessment instruments,…

The administration, purpose, and design of student financial aid programs are examined with emphasis on assuring greater access to higher education, student persistence, and providing students with incentives for performing well academically. After a brief history of financial aid and a review of selected studies on persistence, the sampling and…

A group of adult learners in Tennessee who were in various stages of learning to read were interviewed in order to determine their assumptions concerning the acquisition of literacy skills. The focus of the interviews was on the students' motives for wanting to learn how to read and write, their concepts about the nature of the learning process,…

Twenty-three Texas school districts conducted state-funded pilot projects in 1982 and 1983 to determine whether summer school programs could successfully remediate the needs of students who were retained in grade or had failed a required course, who were functioning greatly below their peers in skill attainment, or who were identified as having…

A program in which Spanish-speaking first grade children were encouraged to write stories about subjects of interest to them, using microcomputers and composing a personal storybook, has the advantages of using little-used computers, providing a link between oral and written language, encouraging creativity in students often perceived as learning…

The Bradford Book Flood--an experiment in which large numbers of additional books were made available to middle school children in England to see whether easy access to books improved reading skills and developed a taste for reading--is detailed in this book. The first chapter discusses the purpose and methodology of the experiment, while the…

In an effort to determine the degree aspirations and other interests of off-campus students, 786 students were surveyed in five off-campus extension and degree centers of Prince George's Community College. Fifty-two percent had immediate degree aspirations, 24% expected to transfer to a senior institution, and 24% had goals of personal enrichment,…

The Aural Grammar Test was designed to assess aural grammatical competence for language presented in a formal situation. The subjects used in this initial development of the test were 147 Toronto high school students learning French as a second language. The test is described and the results are interpreted in terms of both the explicit and…

The foreign language teaching situation in community colleges is discussed. Foreign language teaching in community colleges tends to be demanding due to the limited curriculum of such institutions, limited enrollment in foreign language courses, and the heterogeneity of the student population in terms of career goals, educational preparation, and…

The ongoing work life of four classes of elementary school children from relatively affluent families was examined for approximately 2 years by a participant observer/classroom teacher in an attempt to identify possible causes of student alienation, i.e., negative, unproductive or disruptive behaviors. Examples of such behaviors include hostility,…

This paper reviews educational theory and research on student learning gains (especially in basic skills in elementary grades) and on motivating students to value and engage willingly in academic tasks. Research on the link between teacher behavior and student learning and attitudes is addressed in the first section, followed by a section…

In this collection of essays, theories are presented on the present and future status of physical education instruction. The essay in the first chapter explores the idea that, to function or survive in a complex society, individuals must work to unify the mind and body. The second chapter emphasizes that physical education provides people with…

This report examines the background and implementation of the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Teacher Expectation Project and the Milwaukee School Improvement Program (Project RISE). The author presents a brief overview of educational research on low achievement, which includes the cultural deficit theory, the latter upon which the projects were based.…