Proceedings of the 1974 Second Annual Conference of the Sociology of Education Association are presented. The conference, which focused upon the sociology of the school and schooling at the elementary and secondary levels, was structured around three objectives: (1) provide sociologists of education an opportunity to review past work in their…

Throwing the proverbial monkey wrench into the machinery "on paper" before a system begins functioning seems to be essential to program evaluation. This activity should be performed by the "resident skeptic" who is familiar with past resistance to change and who, being familiar with a program, is able to foresee theoretical and…

An experiment in language behavior comparing two methods of learning grammatical word order in a new language presents scientific evidence supporting the use of pattern drills in foreign language teaching. The experiment reviews the performance of three groups attempting to learn small segments of Russian "microlanguage": (1) a drill group learned…

This book is another in a series prepared in connection with the Survey of the Behavioral Social Sciences (BASS) conducted between 1967 and 1969. The task here is to provide several illustrative lines of research in sufficient depth to convey the flavor of scientific work on psychiatric problems to a wide range of readers. The report is primarily…

This volume is part of the series prepared in connection with the Survey of the Behavioral and Social Sciences (BASS). This report is the result of the efforts of a panel of scholars in the field of psychology to give a general view of the state of psychological knowledge at the present. The first part of the work discusses the major sub-fields of…

A number of problems are identified and questions raised about the usefulness of conventional instruments of educational and psychological measurement in curriculum evaluation and research. Four purposes of curriculum evaluation data are identified: (1) advancement of science, (2) curriculum revision, (3) provision of data for the formulation of…

Recent policy studies by the Education Trust and Heritage Foundation have tried to identify "high-flying" schools--schools that help students reach very high levels of achievement, despite significant disadvantages. This policy brief demonstrates three major problems with the findings of these reports. (1) Due to questionable…

This research study sought to determine the impact of an agricultural leadership program on rural community development beyond self-report survey data typically collected for program evaluation. Two hundred-ninety graduates of a program that taught leadership skills to impact policy at local, state, and national levels to adults aged 25-45 who…

Among the guidelines offered for educational policy-relevant research on the effects of school integration on minority student academic achievement are: age at which to desegregate students; school racial composition; ethnic or racial groups to be bused; instruction for non-Black minorities; and the role of social class. (MH)

Critically evaluates the methodologies used in three recent studies on poverty in Latin America. Maintains that some studies measure the relative nature of nutritional poverty while others record the absolute nature of nutritional poverty (physical survival). Includes a comparative analysis of the studies' results. (MJP)

Discusses current research on six bilingual elementary schools in Friesland, focusing on students' command of Dutch and Frisian, and on school policies concerning Frisian as an instructional subject. The proportions of Frisian- and Dutch-speaking children in an area, the pedagogical and sociolinguistic climates, and the problems associated with…

Discusses the challenge of inclusivity in collaborative research projects. Presents researchers' motivations for more inclusive research methods and reflects on the difficulties and rewards they face. Describes the literacy research project and inclusivity issues among program administrators, teachers, and students. (34 citations) (VWC)

Recounts an incident where a sociologist heard stories challenging violations concerning toxic chemicals. Lawyers advised that corroborating these stories would obligate the sociologist to inform the authorities, thereby jeopardizing his sources. Discusses the ineffectuality of the American Sociological Associations' code of ethics and legal…

Reviewing and conducting research on summer residential program models for gifted and talented students will illuminate the academic, social, and emotional difficulties they face and reveal which practices are effective in addressing these issues. One program model, the Governor's School, warrants particular attention because of its mission to…

This paper outlines issues related to transfer in the San Diego (California) Community College District (SDCCD), discusses approaches to studying transfer and provides data on the number and characteristics of SDCCD students included in the 1992 Transfer Assembly study conducted by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges at the University…