A study investigated doctoral personnel preparation programs in visual impairments at 15 universities. Results indicate only nine of the programs had one or more doctoral students and that over the past five years, only four graduates obtained continuing full-time faculty positions, two in education and two in orientation and mobility. (Contains 7…

Reports findings from a study on the use of computer-mediated communication to support postgraduate second language teacher education. Findings are reported according to organizing categories of social interaction and different tasks that can effect online communicative exchanges.(Author/VWL)

Demonstrates the use of a Web-based participative virtual learning environment for graduate students in Brazil enrolled in an electronic commerce course in a Masters in Business Administration program. Discusses learning communities; computer-supported collaborative work and collaborative learning; influences on student participation; the role of…

Studied how doctoral students experienced their working conditions as they worked toward PhDs in Sweden. Survey responses of 278 doctoral students and interviews with 6 female students show their attitudes about their PhD work and describe the advantages and limitations of research freedom and demands on their time. (SLD)

Surveyed master's of social work (MSW) students about their attitudes regarding the efficacy and ethics of online psychotherapeutic services (e-therapy). Perceptions varied considerably, but there was a moderately strong association between the belief that the ethical requirements of practice can be met online and positive attitudes about the…

Investigates a graduate-level online course in which groups of four students were used to lead online discussions. The teams were examined for their ability to bring instructional design, discourse facilitation, and direct instruction to the discussion. Results indicate that the peer teams fulfilled each of the three roles and valued the…

Scientific research on development in higher education is limited and fragmented. Fund-raising research has provided information on whether a winning football team helps raise outside support, donor behavior, how much institutions spend on fund raising, major ethical issues fund raisers face, etc. (MLW)

Describes a graduate level bibliographic instruction course at Columbia University which incorporates computer-based resources and information retrieval and organization, scholarly communication and publishing, and analysis of primary sources. The discussion covers student responses, plans for the future, and the role of academic librarians in…

Discusses the need for information science schools to prepare graduates for computer use and database design, and reports the findings of a survey of schools that examined the extent to which such courses are taught and the content of those courses. Questions and suggestions about the teaching of database design are also discussed. (four…

Findings are reported from a longitudinal study of first year doctoral students at Reading University. The study examined three major issues: the planning and carrying out of various stages of work during the first year; the learning environment, particularly opportunities for development of collegiality; and supervision. (IAH)

Describes the history and accreditation of Canadian engineering education. Presents statistical data and discusses enrollments by major discipline at undergraduate and graduate levels. Points out four major problems related to engineering education: lack of financial resources; lack of infrastructure support; shortage of well-qualified…

The Computer Anxiety Scale was tested for invariance over the grouping conditions of males/females and graduate/undergraduate status. Subjects included 187 undergraduates and 188 graduates; analyses were conducted on 136 males and 236 females. Results indicate that the construct of computer anxiety appears to be multidimensional with highly…

Describes a study that used a nonobtrusive methodology to determine the effectiveness of an information desk staffed by graduate students and nonprofessionals in an academic library. Relationships that were found between the level of staff members and the quality of reference services are described, and the implications for staffing patterns and…

Describes a study conducted at the Brigham Young University Library that examined the quality of reference service provided by students and department assistants, the adequacy of the training program, and the effectiveness of the system of referring patrons to subject specialist librarians. Recommendations for improving training programs and…

No significant difference in final examination scores or student ratings was found for students taught by foreign and native Teaching Associates (TAs), when students' ability and TAs' teaching experience were held constant. A moderate positive correlation was found between the foreign TAs' English proficiency score and their students' examination…