This survey of student opinions attempted to ascertain the feelings of students toward their middle school. It dealt with student perceptions of classes, teachers, the instructional program and the school itself. (Author)

States which mandate CBTE produce varied reactions in professionals. The range may be from the naive embrace of a panacea, tests in the courts, frustrated ranting and railing, demands for prior research, to a reasoned proposal. The authors offer the later. (Editor)

A physical education specialist at an elementary school in one of the fastest growing sections of the country developed and implemented a developmental motor skills program for primary school students. The program focused on: (1) developing a method of referring students for testing; (2) providing a specialized motor diagnostic test; (3) improving…

A survey of 27 principals, 45 kindergarten teachers, 86 primary teachers, and 57 preservice teachers was designed to determine whether teachers instruct kindergarten children and elementary school students differently. Subjects were asked about benefits of free exploration of materials, child-selected activities, use of props in play, social…

There are three main groups of Amish: the Old Order Amish, the oldest group which is also the most strict and conservative; the Beachy Amish of Amish-Mennonites, the most liberal; and the New Order Amish, intermediate between the other two in conservatism. These three papers examine the views of education and schooling practices of these three…

A study was conducted to explore the nature of curriculum decision making in early childhood education centers in New South Wales (NSW). Focal questions were: (1) What perceptions did people hold concerning the meanings of curriculum in early childhood centers? (2) Within centers, who participated in the making of the decisions about curriculum?…

This study uses data from 171 teachers at eight inner-city elementary and middle schools in Baltimore to examine general patterns and connections between teacher attitudes about parent involvement, school programs, and the actual practices that teachers use. These patterns are examined at different academic levels, in different academic subjects,…

This report supplements the final evaluation of the State Dissemination Grants Program (SDGP), a major initiative within the mission of the National Institute of Education to assist state educational agencies in implementing, strengthening, and institutionalizing dissemination services that improve educational practice and equity. A substudy was…

This paper cites several examples of the outcomes assessment activities taking place on college campuses and their impact on the freshman educational experience. Outcomes assessment is viewed as the impetus for faculty to make responsive improvements in higher education practices. Improvements derived from assessment activities are being…

The paper's hypothesis is that higher education has universal value, but is seen as serving different primary purposes in different societies and political contexts. In Part I of the study, 18 professors from 12 countries were interviewed; the 12 countries were England, Spain, Yugoslavia, Soviet Union, Turkey, India, Malaysia, Philippines, China…

Three types of homework assignments are common in U.S. schools: practice, preparation, and extension. Reasons cited for assigning homework are: (1) Doing homework is useful as an act of intellectual discipline; (2) Homework eases time constraints on the amount of curricular material that can be covered; (3) Homework fosters student initiative,…

This report offers a review of the Chicago Public Schools' official policy on promotion and retention, a discussion of research on the issue of retention, and an analysis of June, 1989 retention rates in Chicago. The first section covers retention and promotion policies in Chicago and other cities and research on the effects of retention and…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether cooperative learning would produce higher achievement test scores among low-ability fifth-graders than the traditional mode of instruction. Subjects were students in two low-ability classes, one taught by a teacher who used traditional instruction, and another taught by a teacher who used…

This study sought to determine effective instructional practices for hearing-impaired students in mainstreamed and special classes. It involved a survey of 63 secondary mathematics teachers (with an 87% response rate), teacher logs of assignments and class work, and live observations. The study found no main effect for type of classroom…

The literature is reviewed on three curriculum models that were developed to help economically disadvantaged youngsters overcome the consequences of poverty and prepare for the academic challenges they would face in later years. The first section of the paper presents a historical overview of the developments in compensatory preschool education…