Describes how chaos theory can be used to understand the nature of quality in early care and education settings. Reviews research on quality and quality initiatives, noting challenges to such quality enhancement initiatives. Details an application of the tenets of chaos theory to early care and educational settings, and includes recommendations…

Explores how modern and postmodern theory (including Mann's political sociology of power, Foucauldian theory of knowledge/power regimes, and feminist theory) might be used to examine problems in comparative higher education, including how globalization is related to shifting power/knowledge regimes in which comparative higher education is…

This paper provides an original Web Assessment Index that focuses on accessibility, speed, navigability, and content. Explains the scoring mechanism, applies the index to assess Web sites of all Spanish universities, and suggests future research. (Author/LRW)

Distance learning in graduate courses was studied from the perspectives of three professors and their students in the studio and at remote sites. Identifying differences in the perceptions of studio students, remote students, and teachers, this study highlights issues requiring research and debate as distance education becomes more prevalent. (SLD)

Reviews literature that has examined components of the social, mental, and physical health of African American college students. The review indicates a need for more information and further research specifically addressing health behaviors and practices of African American and other minority students. (SM)

This article discusses the importance of studying interest and reviews research on the association between interest and prior knowledge to conclude that there is a substantial linear relationship between the two. A model of the interest-knowledge relationship is updated, and the similarity between interest and curiosity is explored. (SLD)

Describes the design and construction of a new National Archives facility at College Park, Maryland. Dubbed "Archives II" and identified as the largest archives facility in the world, the building features a five-level research room center, conservation and special media laboratories, and a day care center. Contains 11 photographs of the…

Argues that street children's public image does not consider root causes of homelessness or children's perceptions. Notes that the relationship of children to urban life is seldom analyzed, and that references to street girls commonly link them to prostitution. Advocates a more child-centered, participatory approach to research and discusses…

A concerted effort is needed to identify employer involvement in special education transition efforts. More research on employer involvement and dissemination of findings are needed. Employer involvement should happen throughout the transition process, not just at the end of it. (JOW)

Explores the concept of curriculum enactment, which calls attention to classroom uses of content and contextual constructions of meaning. The study's methodological framework draws on descriptive, interpretive, evaluative, and thematic dimensions of educational criticism. Two high school English and social studies classes exemplifying curriculum…

A survey of 11 teachers with at least 15 years of experience revealed that traditional supervision does not serve veteran teachers' needs for feedback, collegiality, or professional growth opportunities. Many respondents raised issues of power and control in the teacher/supervisory relationship. Maintaining a collegial dialogue among practicing…

The construct and predictive validities of many administrator performance-assessment systems used for diagnosis, certification, and selection are questionable. The present study investigated both types of validity for one system, the Administrator Diagnostic Inventory (ADI). Results from assessing 316 individuals suggest that caution and…

Reviews research on children's early storyreading experience along the following dimensions: historical perspective, the significance of read-aloud, parent-child read-aloud, and teacher-student read-aloud. Shows a need for more naturalistic studies of read-aloud, more studies exploring connections between read-aloud at home and school, more…

Interaction with animals has important implications for child development in the areas of social growth and communication. Although pets are common in classrooms, research on educational benefits is scarce. A survey shows that classroom animals are often studied directly and used as prompts for creative activities. (Contains 13 references.) (MLH)

Examines challenges to comparative and international education in the areas of epistemological approaches, research methodology, philosophical considerations, and dissemination of findings; the field's contributions in questioning assumptions about school-society relationships, identifying the benefits and dangers of "borrowing"…