This study explores peer assessment and self-efficacy in a counseling practicum. Data was gathered on the perceptions of practicum students, in their second year of a master's program, with regard to the counseling competencies of their peers and themselves. Counselor self-efficacy was measured using the Counselor Self-Efficacy Rating Scale.…

This essay examines the ways in which U.S. history, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship in the field and by research on gender and sexuality. It notes that the recognition that gender matters revolutionized the thinking of scholars who forged the field of women's history. Feminist scholars have expanded the definition of…

This study investigated whether gender differences exist in the factors thought to influence a person's desire to pursue higher education. A 152-item multiple choice questionnaire, completed by 346 students enrolled at a large university during 1998, was the source of the data. The independent variable was gender; dependent variables were…

This paper provides demographic information on California preschool-age children and their preschool attendance. Data sections, with tables, are: (1) "Number of Children Not in Pre-School or Kindergarten"; (2) "Latino, Asian, and African American Children Are Less Likely To Have Gone to Pre-School"; and (3) "Children of…

An ethnographic study explored the university experiences of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) graduate and professional students at a West Coast research university. The study consisted of interviews with each participant, observations of students participating with other AI/AN students in 15 public events, and a meeting with the entire…

The purpose of this study was to examine, describe, evaluate, and compare the rating behavior of faculty consultants who scored essays written for the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition (AP® ELC) Exam. Data from the 1999 AP ELC Exam were analyzed using FACETS (Linacre, 1998) and SAS. The faculty consultants were not all…

In the 50 years since "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka" formally desegregated public schools, there has been enormous progress in the academic success of African Americans, particularly in high school completion, improved test scores, increased college enrollment, and attainment of advanced degrees, as well as full access to and…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Taking Care of Novice Teachers: Researchers Suggest How Administrators Can Keep Their Newer Teachers Teaching and Maintain a First-Rate Faculty (Reino Makkonen); (2) Assessing…

Since 1915, when the Americanization "movement" came into being, the American people have joined dozens of Americanization societies, listened to hundreds of people who declaimed Americanization, and read thousands of dissertations, wise and otherwise, on the same theme. For several years past, Americanization movements have been…

In this paper, the following key questions will be examined. What is distinctive about cooperative learning, which makes it different from just groupwork? What has research found about the effectiveness of cooperative learning in promoting thinking? What conditions in cooperative learning help promote thinking? What theoretical perspectives…

This paper describes the various ways in which the SAT has evolved since its introduction in 1926. Some of the modifications have involved changes in the types of questions used to measure verbal and mathematical skills. Other modifications focused on liberalizing time limits to ensure that speed of responding to questions has minimal effect on…

The scientist and mathematician of tomorrow will come from the high school students of today. It is important to appraise this source of the future scientific manpower from time to time, both to note the trends and to judge the effectiveness of the efforts being made to bolster the defense, security and future welfare of the Nation through the…

In January 2005, the National Education Association (NEA) partnered with the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) to host the National Summit on Asian and Pacific Islander Issues in Education. The Summit brought together over 50 researchers, leaders of national organizations, and NEA members to discuss the status of…

The effect of higher education on the self-esteem and values of male and female college students was studied. Trends over the last decade in freshman self-ratings and goals, individual changes in these two variables, and the impact of various college environmental characteristics on these changes are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Observers identified four types of behavior in junior high school students: good, outgoing, rebellious, and withdrawn. Results were compared with behavior patterns found in first-grade students, and similar findings emerged. Questions are raised about how student roles are established and whether teaching affects them. (Authors/PP)