It is the authors first day of class in a new tenure-track position. She is a sociologist who had been hired to teach Women's Studies at the University of Calgary, where she completed her master's degree some years before. At 9:00 a.m. she boarded the elevator in the basement of the building. The elevator stops on the main floor and the doors open…

The relationship of differential item functioning (DIF) to item difficulty on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) was examined, based on data from nine recent administrations of the test from June 1986 through December 1987. This pool of information includes item statistics on 765 verbal and 540 mathematical items computed for subgroups of White,…

The issue of black college students and the impact of racism and their ethnic background on their academic success is explored. The black college student is seen as possessing a unique contextual self, borne of a heritage that values, to a very high degree, the family and other people that significantly impact the lives of those with whom they…

A study examined the employment patterns of women working in the United Kingdom's hotel and catering industry and the opportunities for vocational education that would lead to careers in management. Sixty-four women from different sectors of the industry were interviewed (including women in senior and middle management and some still looking to be…

Since the mid-1960s, the use of objective testing in education, and multiple-choice tests in particular, has increased dramatically in the Netherlands. Since the founding of the Dutch National Institute for Educational Measurement in 1968, the construction of many achievement tests has been concentrated there. This general changeover from…

Failure to take into account the need to train teachers to deal with prejudicial statements and negative racial attitudes contributed to the failure of a 2-week unit on Alaska Native Land Claims designed for inclusion in an 11th grade American Government course in the Anchorage (Alaska) School District. The unit--recommended by a parent group and…

To assist in the development of policies to eliminate the subtle inequities which inhibit the mathematics achievement of many Black youths, it is suggested that the redesign of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment study Black students' opportunity to learn mathematics. Recommendations for the redesign of…

In Arizona, beginning teachers applying for certification must take the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination which tests professional knowledge, reading, mathematics, and grammar. The high failure rate on the grammar test has caused a great deal of concern; 40 percent of the examinees, and a higher percentage of minority groups, failed it in…

This manual provides an overview of sexual harassment and what can be done about it. Although it deals with laws in California, its general sections and sections of federal laws could be used by persons in any state. The guide contains 12 chapters. Chapter 1 includes a discussion of what sexual harassment is and how it affects society and the…

Several central concerns of Canadian multiculturalism: promotion of the principles of equality, individual acceptance, and understanding and respect for diversity are quite common to the social studies area in particular. The paper examines the quest to avoid emphases on human differences and instead to stress commonalities. This rethinking of…

An inservice training program designed to help teachers identify culturally different gifted students is described in this report, which provides specific information about identifying gifted Native Americans. Introductory material summarizes some research on the learning and behavioral characteristics of Native Americans as they differ from the…

Twenty-five outstanding middle grade mathematics teachers were selected by the staff of the Middle Grades Mathematics Project (MGMP) at Michigan State University to participate in an Honors Teacher Workshop during the summer of 1987. During the final week of the encounter, 50 colleagues joined the workshop. The participants came from 20 different…

Developing nations could greatly improve the quality of life in rural areas by adequately involving women in agricultural extension and training programs. Policy objectives of many developing countries neglect the contributory role of girls and women and often constrain them from seizing opportunities for individual development. In Nigeria, the…

Educational policies to combat racist attitudes can succeed if comprehensive strategies are developed compatible with the context and the skills of the teachers involved. These strategies should be part of broader social policies and interests. Strategies should be holistic, comprehensive in scope and sequence, and involve the total school…

An overview of changes related to instructional programs that have occurred at Missouri's public four-year institutions between fiscal year (FY) 1983 and FY 1987 is provided. This updates a similar report published in 1983 for the years 1972-1982. It is part of an effort to employ an analysis of enrollment patterns, program mix, and institutional…