Demographic prediction of juvenile delinquency has been hampered by the heterogeniety of youth samples. In an attempt to correct for sampling bias in predicting juvenile delinquency, 1,689 male and female youths(aged 12 to 19, drawn from a 6 percent systematic, census tract, random sample of Pennsylvania school youths) completed the Youth Needs…

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two contextual influences (performance-contingent rewards and proximal goals) on children's task motivation, self-efficacy, and skillful performance after division skill-development training. The sample included 44 children, ranging in age from approximately 9 to 11 years, who were identified…

After presenting a classroom dialogue typical of a common approach to division problems, the authors use a second dialogue to discuss the "stacking method" of division. (SD)

Using geographic criteria to assess the United States, two themes are apparent: 1) gulf between America's perception of conditions and reality, and 2) conflict between deeply rooted sentiment for isolationism and internationalism of a trade-oriented country. (ND)

A method of teaching computation of fractions with visual aids is described. (SD)

An algebra class asked: What is the smallest positive integer that is divisible by each integer less than or equal to ten? Students discovered factorials and a solution. Verifying the solution produced a series of numbers. Successive differences between entries, triangular arrays, and successive quotients finally led to Pascal's triangle. (KM)

New College, a private institution in Florida that focused on independent study, has now become an upper-division college of the University of South Florida. The author discusses the administrative and financial difficulties of New College in relating its history. (PG)

Educators and policymakers are beginning to realize that students aged 10 through 14 are not well served by the "miniature high school" atmosphere of the typical junior high school, where the primary emphasis is placed on academic achievement in departmentalized course offerings. A program that is student-centered and that better…

Designed as an overview of the progress of middle schools in the last two decades, this document compares results from a 1968 survey that sampled 10 percent of middle schools with at least three, and not more than five grades, and including grades 6 and 7, with those of a similar 1988 survey. Following a brief summary of the origins of the middle…

Presented are worksheets to introduce and provide practice on division facts with divisors of 2 through 10 for students in grades 3-6. Magic squares, searches, codes, and other puzzles are included in addition to more traditional activities. A test is included. (MNS)

In the United States, a "two-tiered" school system--elementary and secondary education--is often spoken of, yet throughout this century the trend has been toward a "three tiered" system--elementary, junior high/intermediate/middle school, and high school. This paper reviews literature and research regarding these trends, the advantages and…

This document contains a detailed listing of topics covered in the mathematics and reading portions of the 1973 Form S and the 1981 Form U of the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS). Chages in the overall structure of the CTBS, new topics included in Form U and old topics not covered, and changes in the arrangement of topics across the…

One important finding from recent research on multiplication word problems is that children's performances are strongly affected by the nature of the multiplier (whether it is an integer, decimal larger than 1 or a decimal smaller than 1). On the other hand, the size of the multiplicand has little or no effect on problem difficulty. The aim of the…

Analysis of data from a population of 7,747 upper division university students has shown that the selection of majors in various sequence length categories is disproportionate to the number of programs in each category. The proportion of transfer students selecting majors with longer sequences was significantly smaller than native students.…

A case is given against teaching division of fractional numbers. Types of problems usually solved by division are solved by methods involving only multiplication. (JP)