This paper presents two examples of the case study method applied to enhance preservice teachers' decision-making abilities and multicultural perspectives. In the first example, preservice teachers (N=17) enrolled in a sophomore educational psychology course chose a case from a preselected list to diagnose and present to the class for analysis and…

An attempt is made to summarize the perspectives and relevant experience of state-level higher education leadership in responding to the proposals for national assessment resulting from Goal V, Objective 5, of the National Education Goals, which calls for improvement in the critical thinking, ability to communicate, and problem-solving ability of…

This study investigates the problem-solving strategies that second-language students from different educational backgrounds bring with them to an academic writing task. Three students who participated in this study are discussed in this report: one student who experienced uninterrupted education in her native language, completing high school in…

Current research on school effectiveness concludes that differences among schools affect students' academic achievement. An important characteristic of effective schools is providing a safe and secure environment. An example of programs that address this issue are peer mediation or conflict resolution programs. These programs require the combined…

The relationship between learning to program at a construct level and learning and study strategies was studied for college students enrolled in a beginning Pascal programing course and a calculus course (four sections of the programing course and two of the mathematics course). For both the experimental group (n=42) and the first control group…

This status report discusses the issues and concerns of assessing, at a national level, the ability of college graduates to think critically, solve problems, and communicate effectively (National Education Goal 5). Two workshops have been held on the issue and participants indicated that assessment requires a working consensus on the specific…

The business community is becoming recognized as an important partner in educational reform. Although more traditional adopt-a-school programs and career-day activities remain popular, the growing national concern over education and its perceived economic impact have compelled businesses to become agents of change. Business-led organizations such…

This book provides exemplars of the types of computer-based learning environments represented by the theoretical camps within the field and the practical applications of the theories. The contributors discuss a variety of computer applications to learning, ranging from school-related topics such as geometry, algebra, biology, history, physics, and…

Current research and learning theory suggest that a hierarchy of proportional reasoning exists that can be tested. Using G. Vergnaud's four complexity variables (structure, content, numerical characteristics, and presentation) and T. E. Kieren's model of rational number knowledge building, an epistemic model of proportional reasoning was…

Two courses on logic gates were administered to 1,191 male and female recruits in Basic Military Training in 3 studies (448, 431, and 312 subjects, respectively) to evaluate the relative validities of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and the Learning Abilities Measurement Program (LAMP) tests in predicting individual…

This paper describes a methodology for helping institutional research assess its roles and its effectiveness in supporting decision-making at all institutional levels. The paper discusses how to meet this goal by planning, doing, checking, and acting. Planning requires the understanding of the roles of the data custodian, the broker, and the…

This SCANS/TEJAS document is a compendium of tests developed to assess basic workplace skills identified by the U.S. Department of Labor's Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). Designed primarily for use in community college classes, the SCANS/TEJAS tests can be used to assess what individuals know (cognitive domain) as…

This guidebook presents a collaborative or team-based model of workplace basic education. It is written particularly for practitioners--the adult educators and company and union representatives who do the work of planning, carrying out, and evaluating basic skills-related activities in the workplace. Chapter 1 provides background, assumptions that…

Designed to help adult learners realize the importance and necessity of implementing continuous quality improvement (CQI) in a rapidly changing, competitive, and modern world of work, this document presents a comprehensive explanation of CQI. The following topics are discussed in the book's introduction and seven chapters: importance of quality in…

SUPERSTARS III is a K-8 program designed as an enrichment opportunity for self-directed learners in mathematics. The basic purpose of SUPERSTARS III is to provide the extra challenge that self-motivated students need in mathematics and to do so in a structured, long-term program that does not impinge on the normal classroom routine or the…