Education & Pedagogy

Occupational status of local education agency coordinators of special education (N=16), local education agency central office administrators (N=13), and university professors of special education (N=14) who served as due process hearing officers in Alabama did not affect their placement decisions after reading vignettes describing problem children (N=20). (Author/CB)

Using the "Framework for the Development of Competency-Based Curricula for Entry Level Health Educators," the health education faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham reviewed and modified their undergraduate health education professional preparation program. Efforts focused on preparation and study, Framework subcompetencies, potential courses, course objectives, and revision of schedule and sequence for professional preparation courses. (Author/CB)

Describes a study that was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) through a comparison of the achievement and study time of students taught by the PLATO system and those taught by the traditional lecture method. Data support the PLATO system as a viable learning option. (ML)

Reports a study which investigated the alleged failure of Indian teacher education institutions to further the goal of equal education opportunities for women, an official goal of the Indian National Policy of Education. Concludes that official policy has not been translated into action. Offers five recommendations to help implement the policy. (BSR)

Investigates educational experiences and successes of Jews in Europe and the United States. Looks in particular at eminent Jewish scientists and their countries of origin, concluding that their success depends not on intellectual superiority of Jews as a group, but on level of education and possibilities of social mobility. (JHZ)

Examines current reforms in early childhood education, and the nature and scope of changes in the care and education of children since the 1960s. Emphasizes the need for: (1) coherent child and family policy in the United States; (2) appropriate curricula for children of different ages; (3) establishment of a federal office of early childhood education. (Author/RWB)

Reports on a study involving open-ended interviews of a sample of international agriculture students at the University of Minnesota. Presents findings about the students' agricultural backgrounds, the agricultural situations in the students' home countries, and the students' assessments of their education in the United States. (TW)

Describes Syracuse University's Project Adventure (SUPA), a cooperative arrangement between the university and 80 school districts in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, and Michigan, which is designed to give talented high school seniors the opportunity to enroll in university freshman courses in several subject areas, including computer engineering. (TW)

Compares survey responses of rural special education administrators and teachers in Alaska and compares results with previous national studies. Finds issues identified by administrators and teachers differ from those of national studies. Recommends that models designed for one rural environment not be generalized without considering uniqueness of each rural area. (LFL)

Describes rural/urban differences encountered by practicum students/recent graduates working in early childhood special education. Identifies differences in four areas: prevalence and identification of handicapping and risk conditions, type of educational placement, relevance of community dynamics, and relevance of family attitudes. Suggests desirable qualities for educators who work in rural areas. (LFL)

This description of computer science and engineering education in Iran focuses on the effects of the cultural revolution on academic curricula. Computer use in Iran is described, integrated hardware and software educational programs are discussed, and curriculum plans for various levels of expertise from technician to master's degree are presented. (LRW)

A study to establish baseline data on the outcomes of doctoral education at a private, urban university is described. Areas examined are impact of doctoral education on career development; perceived influence of institutional values on graduates; and frequency and type of research/scholarly activities engaged in during and after graduate school. (Author/MLW)

Special education changes that must occur to ensure successful transition from school to community-based employment and living environments for all disabled youth include: programming for future environments; expanding the availability of adult services for severely disabled youth; and a 13th-year program for mildly handicapped students, concentrating on social and employment-related skills. (JDD)

An examination of the relationship of faculty levels of moral reasoning to that of students at various stages of a teacher education program revealed that no group of students (including graduate level) exhibited faculty members' abilities to recognize principled moral judgments and that the student groups did not differ from each other in such recognition. (Author/CB)

Reports on performance aspects of educators' person-environment congruence as defined by Holland's occupational classification system. Concludes that the majority were of the Social, Conventional, or Enterprising types and oriented toward non-classroom use of computer literacy developed in the course. (RT)