Organizational change in the context of nontraditional education is discussed, with attention to Athabasca University (AU), which offers external degree programs in Canada. After considering the evolution of the role of academic faculty at AU, attention is directed to the role of research in the innovative, nontraditional university. Although AU's…

The Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--was designed to investigate the teaching and learning of science in the primary school. This paper summarizes the work undertaken and the findings obtained during the first 9 months of the project. During the first 6 months, an exploratory phase, similar to the original Learning in Science…

Five invitational addresses presented at the Fourth National Conference of the Research Council for Diagnostic and Prescriptive Mathematics are included in this document. "The Nature of the Clinical Investigation" (Romberg and Uprichard) discusses the validity of clinical investigations and suggests guidelines for conducting such studies…

This book contains four papers commissioned by the National Center on Employment Policy to review programs conducted by the Office of Policy, Evaluation, and Research in the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration. The Council's policy statement entitled "Appraising Employment and Training Research" appears first. In…

In response to complaints by some birthparents who agreed to transfer their parental rights and obligations to adopting parents in the past, agencies and persons interested in adoption have reexamined their practices in an effort to be more responsive to the long-term needs of birthparents and children. Before entering into any discussion of a…

Agriculture and the rural economic bases in mining, fisheries, forestry, and natural resource extraction are experiencing major social and economic changes. The farm and rural crises of the 1980s are not short-term aberrations, but symptoms of long-term trends that were partially hidden by the relatively good times for agriculture and rural areas…

This report compares levels of staffing in the libraries of 20 midwest liberal arts colleges. (Noting that libraries all have different organizational structures and different types and levels of service, the study notes the danger of inappropriate comparisons.) Data for this paper were taken from "1982-83 Library Data: Associated Colleges of the…

The development of a computer-based decision support system for outcomes assessment at Southeast Missouri State University is described. A menu-driven, user-based retrieval and analysis and reporting system, the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) was designed. The decision support system incorporates two major components, research group…

Structures that schools can change to produce more positive effects on student learning and development are referred to in this report as TARGET (Tasks, Rewards, Grouping, Evaluation, and Time) structures. The first of two chapters, "Effective Schools or Effective Students: Dealing with Diversity", stresses the need for including in the current…

Educational reformists have asserted that collaborative relationships between universities and local education agencies must be firmly established if improvements are to occur in the preservice preparation of school administrators. One collaboration format involves practica and other field-based learning opportunities for aspiring administrators.…

As the entering-college population dwindles and competition to attract this population increases among colleges, student retention has become a primary concern for community colleges. Assessing the extent of the dropout problem is particularly problematic for community colleges, as they are institutions geared to the facilitation of ease of…

This hearing focuses on scientific and policy deficiencies in the area of drug-induced birth defects. Witnesses charge that (1) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require the kinds of clinical studies that are necessary to actually determine the safety of drugs used in pregnancy, (2) the FDA does nothing to enable women to find out…

In designing teaching materials for Open University students' use, authors have been encouraged to incorporate in-text questions to assist students in understanding the materials. These are relatively simple, limited-scope questions relating directly to the preceding material, and are called enabling questions. These are contrasted with the…

The University of Texas at Dallas's teacher education program involves a university-wide approach. Unlike most other universities, there is no formal college or school of education at Dallas. Instead, faculty with the appropriate education and experience hold appointments in the academic disciplines and teach courses in professional education and…

The California Statewide Longitudinal Study provided information on community college students' experiences and needs which is of value for colleges in determining strategies and priorities. While, however, this and similar studies address the needs of the learners and the colleges, the impressions and concerns of one key client, the prospective…