This collection of 24 papers focuses on language and society in South Africa. Part 1, "The Main Language Groupings," includes (1) "South Africa: A Sociolinguistic Overview" (R. Mesthrie); (2) "The Khoesan Languages" (A. Traill); (3) "The Bantu Languages: Sociohistorical Perspectives" (Robert K. Herbert and…

Children who grow up in an atmosphere of openness about sexuality grow up more slowly and more responsibly. This book offers parents a new framework for talking honestly about sex and sexuality with their children. The first part of the book examines new ways of thinking and talking, while the second part addresses concrete ways of raising…

This essay examines the ways in which European history, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship in the field and by research on gender and sexuality. It explains that historians continue to challenge assumptions that have long obscured women's places in the economic, social, and political histories of Europe, especially in…

This essay examines the ways in which geography, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship in the field. It explains that early feminist critiques of the discipline examined the extent to which geography had overwhelmingly dealt with the lives of men and the ways in which its theories, methods, and content reflected men's…

This essay examines the ways in which U.S. history, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship in the field and by research on gender and sexuality. It notes that the recognition that gender matters revolutionized the thinking of scholars who forged the field of women's history. Feminist scholars have expanded the definition of…

Discusses education issues in 1840-1870 for children of coalfield workers. Focuses on the Leicestershire and Derbyshire (England) coalfield children. Describes gender education strategies, mining legislation that considered youth as a labor source, and coalmine owners' goal to produce an educated workforce. States education had positive effects on…

Discusses results of a survey of distance learning students at a technical college in Taiwan that explored the attitudes they have toward selecting distance learning classes. Describes hypotheses tested and discusses gender differences; interest in the subject matter; time flexibility; reputation of teachers and schools; costs; and students who…

Identifies contributions of Liben and Bigler's studies to gender development related to measuring self and other sex typing, developing a theoretical account of the self-other relation, and incorporating individual differences. Raises questions about measures used and interpretations of the findings. Suggests issues for future research:…

Examines the effects of group gender composition and the use of nonverbal computer mediated communication on performance and motivation following a biology lesson which used a computer image of a human face. Subjects were boys and girls ages 10 to 15. Findings indicate that anxiety had opposite effects for boys and girls when the computer-animated…

Discusses research findings on gender issues in education and suggests how school librarians can incorporate this information into their programs and practices. Topics include research on: children's literature and sex roles; reading habits and topic interests; information literacy behaviors; and classroom interactions. (AEF)

Describes a study that examined relationships between computer attitude, computer experience, gender, cognitive abilities, and the acquisition of word processing by older adults. Highlights include results from computer attitude questionnaires, spatial scanning, inductive and deductive reasoning as predictors of word processing knowledge, and the…

Discusses issues relating to the integration of information technology into K-12 curricula, focusing on the need for structured inservice programs for teachers to develop competency with technology and curricular applications. Also examines the issue of gender equity in education and the inclusion of inservice strategies to address the problem.…

Describes a study conducted at the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom) that measured the learning behavior and performance of 65 postgraduate students using a hypermedia-based tutorial. Considers cognitive style, levels of prior experience, motivation, age, gender, and navigation patterns. (Author/LRW)

Reports that, based on a survey of 195 distance education students, significant differences were found between the way male and female students identified the strengths and weaknesses of the online environment. Also finds that online courses are of great value to nontraditional students, particularly female adult learners with children or family…

Examined student attitudes toward the introduction of a Web component into a general biology course for undergraduate nonmajors that allowed asynchronous learning outside the classroom and increased student-to-student interaction. Results showed a positive effect on student learning, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking skills. Attitudes…