A comparison of the experiences of 683 surgery students taking preceptorships in community hospitals and 696 taking only university-based rotations found no significant differences in individual characteristics, academic performance, choice of specialty for the first postgraduate year, or program director evaluations. The preceptorships were…

This study evaluated a mentorship program which involved classroom instruction and actual mentorship experiences for gifted juniors and seniors. A survey of 103 former mentorship students found that the students derived numerous benefits from the mentorship program in the areas of personal, academic, and career development. (JDD)

Investigated perceptions by elementary school teachers (N=28) of the usefulness and ease of implementation of traditional recommendations that attribute the cause of referral problems to the individual student's characteristics or environmental conditions, as compared to recommendations that address a student's problem with varying degrees of…

Describes components of Anytown, a group model designed to promote direct, intergroup contact and to increase racial tolerance among high school students. Examines dynamics of Anytown program: how activities are intended to affect participants' thinking and relationships with others and how direct contact is used to promote favorable human rights…

Suggestions for improving alumni association membership recruitment and retention, for raising non-dues income, and for keeping records are made based on Kansas State University's experiences. (MSE)

Trainers at Bell Atlantic converted two courses to an accelerated learning format. As a result, the costs of one course were reduced by 42 percent and the other by 57 percent. The satisfaction of students and trainers greatly improved, as did their job performance. (JOW)

This review of child homicide research identifies three methodological issues: (1) the classification of child deaths as homicides is unreliable; (2) child homicides may not represent the endpoint of a continuum of violence from inadequate parenting to death; and (3) child homicides are not frequent enough to measure the impact of child welfare…

Describes and assesses the impact of the 1989 Children Act on the family support aspects of statutory child-care social work. Outlines ideological challenges to family support work and traces the main themes in relevant professional and research literature. Presents the family support clauses of the act and an account of the dominant concerns that…

This article explores the dynamics of a creative problem solving meeting which frequently reaches impasse. Excerpts from the meeting transcript are presented to determine where and why the group gets off track in developing a method to evaluate sales training. Suggestions are offered for steering the group away from win/lose arguments and into…

A self-study of the English-as-a-Second-Language program at the English Language Institute at the Hawaii campus of Brigham Young University is reported. Lessons learned related to customizing guidelines, administrative support; feedback loops, creating implementation plans, including outsiders, etc. (23 references) (LB)

Reviews research on student assistance programs for early intervention in substance abuse and provides information from the evaluation of a multischool program in Washington state. Despite the widespread adoption of these programs, there is little substantiation of their effectiveness. Although participating students generally show improvements,…

A recent "Kappan" article by Naomi Zigmond and associates concludes that results from three major, federally funded research projects showed that restructured, inclusive elementary schools produce unacceptable and undesirable outcomes for a significant proportion of learning-disabled students. However, the authors' program-effectiveness standards…

Twenty-four schools, 1,350 high school students, and 251 postsecondary students were involved in the formative evaluation used by Rhode Island to assess their tech-prep programs. The evaluation provides tangible documentation that tech prep has a positive impact on participating students. (Author/JOW)

Presents a 10-point model for providing quality training within child protection organizations. Suggests that training can be a precision instrument to create change because its objectives, content, and methods are controllable, ongoing, and pervasive. Notes that by assuming responsibility and using time and energy to find solutions, the…

This article reviews the causes of underachievement in gifted students and discusses two successful intervention programs, a secondary program with individualized goals to meet the needs and interests of the students, and an elementary program which focused on active parental support and the services of a psychologist. Case studies of…