As exemplified by New Zealand, the nature of educational policy research is shaped by political and social factors that impinge upon the research environment. Following a description of the educational system and research funding methods, this paper analyzes three areas that affect policy research in New Zealand and addresses relevant social…

Two categories of elementary-secondary data collected by the National Center on Education Statistics (NCES) are discussed: teacher data, and school finance data. Current NCES practices and their limitations are discussed, additional data needs for research and policymaking are identified, and modifications for data collection are suggested.…

Two major discussions are combined in this paper: (1) learning opportunities, vocational skills, and access to occupations; and (2) data on teachers. Data and analyses are needed in such areas as the supply of scientific and computer personnel to determine oversupplies or shortages, and the relationship of corporate training to other sources of…

This conference was designed to identify salient elements of the national science/mathematics teacher shortage, add corollary data to the existing body of knowledge, and to influence and guide future NIE research in the area. The proceedings include: welcoming and keynote addresses by, respectively, Manuel J. Justiz and T. H. Bell; five…

Three research-based theoretical frameworks on which educational programs for language minority students might be based are discussed, along with a composite framework. The frameworks, which coincide with California's frameworks (described in "Schooling and Language Minority Students: A Theoretical Framework," 1981), are as follows: (1) a…

Research reviews are presented on the definition, scope, and nature of global education. Specifically, reviews focus on developmental research, which suggests that a certain age span is appropriate for teaching awareness of other nations, and environmental research, which identifies influences on the student in the classroom environment. In…

The purposes of this study were to: (1) examine the psychometric properties of the Ball Aptitude Battery (BAB) on a high school freshman sample; (2) develop BAB norms for high school freshmen; (3) develop and evaluate four memory tests and a vocabulary test appropriate for freshmen; (4) examine level and structure differences for the BAB tests…

This paper presents recently reported findings that associate teacher behavior with student achievement. These findings fall under 5 general categories: time usage, classroom management, teacher expectations, teacher effectiveness research, and specific teacher behaviors. Research on time usage has demonstrated that the same amount of learning…

This survey examined the attitudes of teachers in southwestern Kentucky toward sex-stereotyping in the classroom. A random sample of 35 teachers of grades kindergarten through adult completed a written survey instrument that asked them to read statements regarding sex-stereotyping and to rate themselves regarding their own classroom practices.…

A longitudinal study was undertaken in 1981 to examine the educational and career achievements of 81 individuals who graduated from an Illinois high school in 1981 either as a valedictorian, salutatorian, or top honors student. These individuals completed questionnaires and were given in-depth interviews. One pattern emerged from the data…

Intended to provide an overview of available resources, the annotated bibliography contains 88 references to major resources on women and education. Most entries were published during the 1970s. The bibliography is designed for school personnel, researchers, parents, citizens, and members of women's organizations who want to know what programs,…

Rural sociology confronts a continuing crisis of identity because of its failure to develop a sociology of agriculture. Historically, despite an initial focus on agriculture, rural sociology became deflected to the analysis of rurality. Recent emphasis of rural sociologists on the turnaround phenomenon is symptomatic, but fails to deal with the…

This document presents 12 seminar papers describing research and development efforts in self-instructional programs being undertaken in six countries: the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Liberia, and Canada. The following are topics covered in the individual papers: research and development activities in primary schools; the technology…

Focusing on six major topics to be addressed at the 1981 White House Conference (economic security, physical and mental health, social well being, older Americans as a national resource, creating an age-integrated society, and research), the National Indian Conference attracted 1,165 persons from more than 140 tribes (592 being Indian elders over…

A study assessed the feasibility of conducting a national cost-benefit analysis of vocational education and presented recommendations for future research on the relationship between vocational education costs and benefits. Following an analysis of the state of the art in utilizing cost-benefit methodologies to evaluate vocational education, a…