Describes a study designed to achieve the following goals: (1) compare the perceptions of learning environment in biology and chemistry classrooms by Jewish and Arab students; (2) identify gender effects in the Arab sample on learning environments; and (3) compare the perceptions of Arab students in rural and city schools. (ZWH)

The journal's executive editor considers current and future societal trends and their implications for people who are blind and visually impaired. He notes effects of the developing mosaic society, changing demographics showing large increases in minority populations, the developing information society, redefinitions of individual and societal…

The author of a survey of 254 college public relations officers (HE 531 785) describes briefly the underlying definitions, design, and results of the study, and makes comparisons between this and an earlier study of college presidents. Discussion of methodology focuses on respondent characteristics and consistency of definition. (MSE)

Sixty-five persons with visual impairments were videotaped as they located and learned the arrangement of five objects in a novel space. Analysis of videotapes and verbal self-reports of the 15 best performing participants revealed that they implemented systematic perimeter and/or gridline patterns, utilized their canes efficiently, and…

This study compared the performance on perspective-taking tasks of 8 congenitally blind children (mean age 13.5 years), using either haptic exploration or a vibrotactile prosthetic device, with the performance of 4 children having low vision using their limited visual abilities. The vibrotactile device improved perspective-taking performance…

Discusses the theory and research underlying the use of realistic and compressed images or representational images developed from 1950-80 using print, slides, and film media. Topics include the theories of visual realism, visual realism and instruction, and the foundations of visual compression. (20 references) (KRN)

Two experiments investigated the relationship between family size and "theory of mind." Results from an experiment with three- and four-year olds showed that children from larger families were better able than children from smaller families to predict a story character's mistaken (false-belief based) action. (MDM)

A study investigated medical residents' perceptions of the important components of the clinical teacher's role, and possible differences in first- and third-year residents' perceptions, based on comments written on 268 residents' evaluation forms of 490 teachers. Results suggest this methodology is useful and contributes to definition of the…

The influences of white Dutch and black Surinamer differences in skin color, accent, speech style, and spoken fluency on police officers' perceptions were examined for 173 Dutch police officers. Results provide empirical support for the existence of nonverbal communication errors in cross-cultural police-citizen interactions. (SLD)

Examines how popular music preference in listening exercises influences apparent time passage in a study involving 80 University of Texas, Austin, music and nonmusic major undergraduate students. Shows no significant relationship between music preference and apparent time passage. Finds no significant differences attributable to level of music…

Adolescent students of low socioeconomic status (n=120)--whose reading comprehension was behind that of their peers--were assigned to one of three experimental conditions in a six-week remedial reading program. Significant gains were found on space relations, abstract reading skills, and aspects of skilled reading for those given perceptual…

Investigates the contributions of tonal syllables, hand signs, and letter representations of tonal syllables to the development of verbal and symbolic tonal skills of first grade students. Finds no method to be significantly better than another. Concludes that tonal aptitude is the most significant predictor of tonal syllable and pitch…

Analysis of elementary and junior high student and teacher ratings of highly talented peers found that 60% of the 42 items had a significant overrepresentation of either boys or girls, with boys judged more talented in physical and technical aptitudes and girls more talented in arts and socioaffective aptitudes. (Author/DB)

In existing school-based management models, the principal's role ranges from chairing the local council to being a coach/facilitator. With teachers and parents assuming greater control over governance, curriculum, and budgeting, paranoid principals may establish more formal bargaining relationships with district boards. Caution is advised, because…

Observers (n=94) of videotapes of a young woman with mental retardation engaging in either an age-appropriate leisure activity or an activity designed for much younger persons found that observers associated age-appropriate activities with higher ratings of estimated IQ and reading level. Findings support the development of age-appropriate and…