The six chapters in this report focus on: (1) a basic orientation for a focused research agenda; (2) research on reasoning (considering the development of competence and the search for generality in reasoning skills); (3) research on instruction (examining research on teachers, curricula and curricular materials, and testing); (4) research on…

The purpose of secondary vocational education has traditionally been occupational preparation, with the primary activity for achieving that purpose being occupationally specific skill training. Today, however, a significant amount of effort is also directed toward outcomes that prepare an individual for work rather than for a specific job or…

The hearing's purpose was to begin building a record, from a national perspective, regarding older Americans who live in smaller towns and rural areas. It is not fully known what the real impact is of such matters as lack of transportation, nutritional deficiencies, distance to and shortage of health care, non-availability of adult education…

An analysis of Maori parental participation in the New Zealand educational system is presented: Part I is a tentative theory-building exercise for examining existing parental participatory groups; Part II reviews Maori activity on voluntary committees that administer to schools; and Part III sets out some suggestions for research. The typology of…

This report examines selected studies on the search for and utilization of mental health facilities among Hispanic populations and presents a framework for research on mental health services for Hispanics. Shortcomings of available data on this topic are reviewed. The research framework proposed is based on the assumption that clinical service…

This report on school desegregation consists of two parts. Part one is made up of two case studies designed to explore the manner in which Federal and State compensatory education policies affect educational equity at the local level in two Michigan districts that have been desegregated for several years. The degree of educational equity in the…

A review of the literature on instruction in English as a second language (ESL) looks at four areas of ESL instruction individually and then derives conclusions and recommendations from those areas. The first area, ESL instructional approaches, includes discussion of the educational benefits of current ESL instructional approaches (audiolingual…

Higher education in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) is described, including the system's history, current conditions, functions, and structure. The particular shape of the Byelorussian higher education is in part due to the fact that it only came into being as a system after the revolution of 1917, meaning that from the beginning…

This newsletter's first article is the director's report "Double Standards in Australian Family Policy" by Don Edgar. It asks for government support for families in the form of programs and funding, not just rhetoric. The next article, "IFS Research", also by Don Edgar, details the past, current and future research of the…

Life expectancy trends are examined from a policy maker's perspective. Since the late 1960's, life expectancy among the U.S. elderly has increased at unprecedented rates, from 70.2 years in 1965 to 74.5 years in 1983. Although unforeseeable events, such as outbreaks of new diseases, are not reflected in the projections, current projections assume…

The goal of test item writing is to create measures of the true achievement dimensions desired, not extraneous abilities or related skills. To encourage university instructors to apply newer test item writing technologies to test construction for course examinations, this paper: (1) sets forth basic principles for quality item writing; (2) reviews…

A review of the major literature examining human work behavior from the perspective of developmental psychology indicates that, although many issues pertaining to the meaning of the concepts of change and development are still unresolved, a great potential exists for cross-fertilization between developmental and vocational psychology. Vocational…

In examining how one state (Illinois) approaches the development of a comprehensive state capacity for program improvement in vocational education, it is helpful to review federal legislative action. Research and development (R & D) did not become an official legislative element of vocational education until the 1963 Vocational Education Act…

The document is designed to help map readers comprehend the uses and limitations of maps. Intended predominantly for college students of geography, graphic arts, and public communication, the resource paper should also be of general interest to informed citizens and map enthusiasts. The document is presented in six chapters. Chapter I discusses…

Prepared to introduce adult education program planners to the basic concepts integral to and alternative strategies for conducting needs assessments, this instructional handbook consists of a series of six chapters or instructional booklets (also available separately--see note.) Topics covered in each chapter are as follows: introduction to needs…