A mediated-learning package, geared toward non-traditional students, was developed for use in the College of Marin's cultural anthropology courses. An analytical model for learning was used in the development of the package, utilizing concepts related to learning objectives, programmed instruction, Gestalt psychology, cognitive psychology, and…

Compares the effect of weak, flexible, and rigid family structures on the cognitive development of 61 Scottish and 40 Pakistani school children in Glasgow, Scotland. In a problem-solving test, children from flexible environments outperformed those from either weakly or rigidly structured homes. This difference was reflected in the school…

Discusses findings based on studies of lower secondary school aged children in Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Compares and contrasts the curriculum, school organization, teacher roles, and student achievement problems in these countries. Offers perspectives on what is needed for comprehensive lower secondary schooling.…

Reports on a study of student academic performance among 1,314 first-year business students at a technical university in Singapore. Concludes that older students, students with prior economic course experience, male students, and ethnic Chinese students performed better than their counterparts. (CFR)

Compares 3 Japanese and 2 U.S. psychology departments, using course catalog data and questionnaire responses from 30 professors and 335 undergraduates. Reports U.S. students studied more and learned specific, career-oriented content, whereas Japanese students emphasized extracurricular activities related to future careers. Links findings to…

This study attempted to ascertain the degree to which teacher attrition rates may affect future educational trends on a cross-national basis and to identify particular characteristics, such as class, gender, or academic achievement, that might be associated with those teachers electing to leave and those expecting to remain in the classroom.…

It is important for teachers and students to develop a broad understanding of Japanese education. Americans who are knowledgeable about teaching and learning in Japan gain insights about a different culture, and are better able to think clearly about our own educational system. This digest examines (1) Japanese educational achievements; (2) the…

Reports on a study of reading and writing skills of 110 French and German first-grade students. Finds that the best way to help children to learn to read is to encourage them to read material for content rather than by using training exercises external to reading. (CFR)

This is the third report from the evaluation of the Multicultural Education Program in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), a major effort to address racial and ethnic diversity in a middle school. Section 1 of the report provides background on the multicultural education movement and the aims of the Pittsburgh program. Section 2 describes the status of the…

Asserts that the primary goal of economics education is to help students understand the economic world around them and make more informed personal and social decisions. Reviews comparative studies of economic education and student achievement in the United States, Japan, Germany, Austria, Australia, and the United Kingdom. (CFR)

Posits a distinction between cultures motivated by individualistic value systems (idiocentric) and collectivistic value systems (allocentric). Study reveals that Mexican American adolescents describe themselves in more allocentric terms, while Anglo American adolescents choose idiocentric terms. Suggests a correlation between idiocentric values…

A comparison of vocational training and technical qualification systems in Korea and South Africa shows both countries are responding to similar changes in economic and enterprise structures. South Africa's work experience learnership system is more desirable than Korea's more traditional separation between formal education and workplace training,…