Growth of interest in Asian studies has provided new resources and opportunities but has also caused conflict and disagreement. The "new agenda" focusing on economics, management, public policy, and international relations through intercultural comparisons is sometimes at odds with the traditional approach to studying civilizations. More…

Focus groups arranged by local Native American Master Gardeners on two Minnesota reservations determined community interest in extension-horticulture programs. Topics of interest included food preservation and historical Native-American uses of plants. (SK)

Iowa nurses in long-term and home-health-care settings (n=53) were interested in continuing-education programs and teleconferences on the following Alzheimer's disease topics: challenging behaviors, family needs, case management, long-term care services, and new developments. Teleconferences were a viable strategy for isolated rural nurses. (SK)

States that including students with severe disabilities in regular classes provides an opportunity for educators to reflect on the nature and characteristics of these learners. Asserts that teachers must reevaluate the process by which they determine learner outcomes. Provides a guide for these activities and a review of inclusive education. (CR)

A survey of 266 community health nurses specializing in learning disabilities found that 82.9% felt inadequately prepared to support parents with learning disabilities. There was little coverage of parenting topics in their coursework and subsequent training. (SK)

Surveys sent to 233 extension agents in New York received 112 responses; 21% had natural resources as a primary responsibility. There was greater interest in water resource topics than in forest management topics; rankings differed by agents' programming responsibilities. Several new areas were identified for which there is no current Extension…

Focus groups with 42 primary care physicians revealed their interests and needs for continuing education. Similar interests were displayed among four specialties: family physicians, internists, pediatricians, and obstetricians/gynecologists, as well as significant overlap of opinions and ideas. (SK)

A critical first step before engaging in any assessment is to consider the politics involved. This article offers advice on conducting assessments that will have credibility and impact. Issues considered include: determining the needs and interests of the groups; establishing the kinds of information and what people are ready to learn; and…

Examines the use of cognitive apprenticeships as a framework for instructional design to help address the needs of a distributed learning environment. Describes the applications of a multimedia training course that helps weather forecasters interpret radar. Findings indicate that cognitive apprenticeships can be implemented in multimedia to meet…

Nominal group technique was used with 7 groups of older adults (n=36) and 2 groups of professionals (n=10). Older people thought their primary communication problems were hearing and memory loss and word retrieval. Professionals named hearing difficulties, lack of conversational skills, and personality factors. Nominal group technique proved a…

In England, management policies on land use and environmental consumerism are demand led, reactive, and detached from ecological and economic realities. Education that emphasizes environmental management from a standpoint of ethics, economics, political science, and law is recommended. (SK)

Describes the experiences of Romani children with schooling in the United States, including their educational beliefs, misconceptions about them, and their parents' concerns about cultural transmission. Ways for schools to respond are exemplified by the Seattle school district. (SK)

The issue of rising tuition and fees in American higher education needs to be considered in the context of a comprehensive, concerted effort to limit higher education opportunities for those who are neither wealthy nor educationally gifted. In a society of increasing diversity, limitations on educational attainment pose an ominous threat.…

Responses from 1,728 nurses in Canadian teaching hospitals showed that job changes required new knowledge and clinical skills; 85% received orientation but felt that it only moderately prepared them. Those moving to a new unit or hospital had significantly greater need for new knowledge than those taking a new role in the same unit. (SK)

Claims the United States must upgrade the literacy skills of its young people if it is to keep pace with changing job demands and global economic competition. Suggests that developing effective school reading programs is at the heart of any comprehensive plan for improving the adult literacy of American citizens. (NH)