This book examines the effects of a 1988 policy decision of the British Open University (OU) requiring all distance learners to acquire a personal computer (PC) on their own and use it to conduct their distance education as OU students. The following topics are discussed in the book's nine chapters: potential, history, and development of computers…

An electronic communications network called Te Wahapu has been developed by Te Wahanga Kaupapa Maori of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research to facilitate the exchange of information and provide access to resources relating to Maori language and Maori education. The system, which was officially launched in May 1991, is set up as an…

Middle school students are failing to connect what is learned in computer classes to other subject areas of the school's curriculum. Teachers, who often lack basic computer knowledge, are not encouraging computer use, and a lack of computer accessibility and appropriate software compound the problem. A practicum was designed to: (1) move the…

This collection of 13 papers addresses the education of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) children at the preschool and elementary school level, focusing on the role of the school, curriculum, and community in second language acquisition. The papers are: (1) "Language, Culture, and Schooling" (Denise McKeon); (2) "Knowledge, Power, and Identity…

The report and review of literature discusses instructional and assessment practices associated with limited-English-proficient (LEP) adults, and recommends that literacy providers use alternative forms of instruction and assessment for this population that are based on: (1) an explicit emphasis on writing; (2) use of the learner's own cultural…

This study used a total quality management (TQM) approach to evaluate the perceived computer competency needs of students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout by surveying students (who were asked which of a list of competencies they had), administrators, alumni, and employers (who were asked which competencies they used or expected in employees).…

This annual report is designed to assess the efforts of Tennessee's State Board of Education and Higher Education Commission, to provide an overview of the challenges and prospects for public education in Tennessee, and to present a statement on educational plans and goals for the future. The report outlines 15 improvement initiatives for…

In 1992, community leaders in Fort Collins, Colorado, met with their concerns about the needs of low-income families for comprehensive services. This paper describes the resulting Family Learning Place, a community-based, public-private collaborative program that serves preschool children and their families. The program operates in facilities…

The 18-month Skills Today for Advancement Tomorrow (STAT) program, a partnership among St. Louis Community College, the St. Louis Public Schools' Adult Basic Education Program, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri, had the following objectives: (1) provide counseling and training for 370 current Blue Cross and Blue Shield workers; (2)…

This volume contains nine case studies that focus on preservice teaching and multicultural education and four case studies on educational change, collaboration and reform for teacher training, and educational leadership. These cases are presented, followed by an introduction to conducting case study discussions, and then by discussion guides for…

This document contains 16 units to consider for use in a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of plastics technician. All the units listed will not necessarily apply to every situation or tech prep consortium, nor will all the competencies within each unit be appropriate. Several units appear within each specific occupation and would…

This annual report by the Commission on Higher Education's details progress toward goals and objectives, annual statistics, and key issues in accreditation and quality assurance. A recurring theme of the report and the year it covers is the changing relationship between accrediting agencies and the federal and state governments, specifically in…

This long range plan, which was prepared in compliance with the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), begins with an overview of the library public and the state library agency in Louisiana. Identification of needs and action plans are presented in the following goal areas: (1) improving state library administration; (2) extending services…

In order to investigate how attitudes among preservice teachers are influenced by participation in a computer literacy course and to test the utility of an attitude questionnaire, a study was conducted with 75 college preservice teachers (56 females and 19 males). The course was developed to teach the use and understanding of computer technologies…

The 43 conference papers in this yearbook cover such diverse topics in the field of reading as the analysis of children's literacy responses, the study of aesthetic literacy, and the investigation of phonemic awareness. The yearbook includes both data-driven studies and conceptual explorations of diverse literacy learners. The yearbook opens with…