Achievement disparity has many causes: economic, psychological, and social conditions; peer and family culture; and educational practices and policies. Educators can eliminate racial, class, and gender bias by building school capacity, developing leaders, creating networks for change, adopting new processes and tools, identifying assumptions, and…

Findings from a survey of 280 university students indicated that they tended to support the nuclear family as a "family," and feel that families with children represented a "family." Several gender and college major differences were found in attitudes about families, as discussed. (SLD)

This article reviews topics concerning the transition of students with learning disabilities into the work setting, including: definition of learning disabilities, relevant federal legislation, importance of transition planning, "best practices" in transition planning and programming, special problems in working with students who have learning…

Four terms central to the dialog about ethics are defined and differentiated: ethics; morality; justice; and law. Several problems in understanding the terms are identified, including differences between the classical and current meanings, common but inappropriate usages, confusion of one term for another, and merging of terms in common usage.…

Conventional science instruction often fails to address or change students' misconceptions about physical phenomena. Students stubbornly cling to anthropocentric, causal, and product conceptions about energy. This article explores scientific and pedagogical arguments favoring development of a spiral curriculum for teaching energy in (Israeli)…

Presents a set of criteria for constructing a fair and realistic understanding of sex. Recognizes the impact that science can have on social policies and values and recommends that the definitions of sex and gender be carefully crafted. (DDR)

The object of fiscal equity is shifting from dollars per student to things that districts can purchase (people, materials, services) and/or the test scores (product) students can achieve. School finance litigation is moving away from equity and toward adequacy. States' political processes determine degree of equity. (MLH)

A Likert style questionnaire consisting of 60 adjectives was administered to 451 undergraduates from Beijing, Guangzhou, Taipei, and Hong Kong. Results show the core characteristics of creativity that were identical in all the samples are originality, innovativeness, thinking and observation skills, flexibility, willingness to try, self…

Presents a selective review of child abuse and emphasizes the need for standard procedures for referral, medical provisions, and legal reporting. Based on review of issues of establishing the dimensions of child maltreatment, offers recommendations for integrating critical issues for the present and future development of child abuse into practica…

The author responds to a critical analysis by Peter Crompton of definitions in literature on hedge, a linguistic phenomenon understood by linguists in different ways. This analysis of the definition and subsequent test offered by the first author is offered to demonstrate the weaknesses of the proposed thesis. (MSE)

The author replies to criticism of his definition of hedge, a linguistic phenomenon, defending his line of argument and making his assumptions explicit. Concludes that if hedging is to be treated as a linguistic phenomenon, it is the job of linguists to describe it in terms of the choices available within the language system as a whole. (MSE)

Reviews three current approaches to preventing child abuse in Great Britain: clinical health-led risk-assessment model, broader social-reform strategies, and criminal justice youth victimization models. Explores sources of contradiction through definitions of child abuse underpinning different strategies. Proposes change in language of child…

Presents a human rights glossary that includes definitions of basic terms, treaties, charters, and groups/organizations that have been featured in previous articles in this edition of "Update on Law-Related Education"; the human rights terms have been compiled as part of the celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights…

This article presents a brief history of the transition of the federal definition for students who are gifted and talented, as well as a description of other definitions that have affected state definitions. A review of state definitions in 1990 and 1998 indicates that 29 states have modified their definition. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

The University New Student Census was administered to 376 Asian-Pacific-American (APA) incoming freshman students at the University of Maryland (College Park) and analyzed for differences concerning leadership and college expectations. Results suggest that definitions of leadership may need to be expanded to include the various ways leadership is…