Peace Corps volunteers are perceived as role models, technical specialists, teachers, counselors, heroes, and friends. This idea book shares specific ideas and frameworks for transferring the potential for positive guidance into classrooms and communities around the world. It concentrates on activities and strategies that increase girls' access…

This report tells the story of the inception and growth of the Gender Project of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMCE) (Sanford, Maine) and shares the results of an evaluation study of program impacts on the lives of individuals, families, and communities over the past six years. Information in the report can guide the growth and…

This collection of papers includes the following: "Preface" (Keith Gregor); "Cultural Nationalism and the Irish Literary Revival" (David Pierce); "Transitions in Irish Miscellanies between 1923 and 1940" (Malcom Ballin); "Born into the Troubles: Deirdre Madden's 'Hidden Symptoms'" (Tamara Benito de la…

The rise in heroin use in the 1990s is attributed to an increase in snorting and smoking heroin as opposed to earlier epidemics that relied on intravenous use. An increase in purity has also added to the addiction problem. The trend towards use by young people was confirmed by the 2000 Monitoring the Future Study, which reported that 10.6% of high…

This study investigated changes in teaching efficacy during student teaching using a modified version of the Teacher Efficacy Scale. The study occurred over three-quarters of one academic year, with the survey instrument administered to all student teachers at one small, private college during student teaching orientation. Students were placed in…

This collection of essays examines international trends in subject performance throughout schooling in the areas of science, mathematics, technology, French, English, and information technology. It also looks critically at a range of interventions in different contexts and countries addressing a range of purposes all aimed at enhancing equity in…

This document presents an executive summary of a study that examined messages sent to adolescent girls (ages 10 to 17) across 6 types of media most heavily used by adolescent girls: television, movies, magazines, music videos, television commercials, and magazine advertisements. The study asked what messages are sent about gender roles--primarily…

Explores the interaction between readers and books through classroom observations of 10 and 11 year olds reading and discussing the book "Bill's New Frock" (Anne Fine). Reactions from the 32 participating students appear to confirm the notion that girls and boys are treated differently. Included is a survey of the literature on feminist theories…

Explores the relationship between early childhood teachers' adult gender role beliefs and their attitudes about children's gender role behavior. Responses from 103 (mostly women) teachers expressed some openness to children exploring gender roles, and felt more comfortable with girls rather than boys in this exploration. When teachers did have…

Examines the extent of mothers' and fathers' involvement in children's play, and stylistic variations in that play. Results from 35 preschool children from multiethnic families reveal boys played differently than girls and parental involvement was also different. Parent's different interactions with sons' versus daughters' playing shows that…

Uses case studies of a Latin American woman and a South Asian woman to identify obstacles and facilitators that shaped their lives and paths to empowerment. Presents a model for understanding processes of empowerment and change, particularly change facilitating gender equity. Recognizes a dialectic process involving individual subjective…

Examines predictors of various types of self-reported use of violent media content by eighth graders. Indicates that gender, sensation-seeking, aggression, and frequency of Internet use had relatively strong contributions to explaining the use of violent media content. Notes that alienation from school and family also appeared to partially mediate…

Discusses a book that unravels how six young, African American men developed different meanings of the high school diploma, their experiences in classrooms, and their relationships with family members and peers, asserting that these meanings of school and relationships can be explained by examining the differential access to power and privilege,…

Examined the influence of 3-year-olds' facial characteristics on adults' predictions of children's gender- typical behaviors. Found that adults' expectations for children's gender-typical behaviors are influenced by the masculinity/femininity of children's facial appearance, regardless of the gender information provided. Explored implications on…

Argues that for reasons of development and temperament, many boys have difficulty fitting the traditional classroom expectations of many teachers. Presents some specific strategy changes made by a teacher in the learning environment to address boys' development, interests, and activity levels. Asserts that addressing the needs of boys can make a…