There is a growing demand for admissions tutors in UK universities to use more rigorous and systematic decision-making methods in recruitment processes. A key barrier to achieving this goal is the lack of a coherent and definitive body of knowledge upon which such methods can be built. The yardstick used for the majority of applicants is A2-level…

This paper explores the relationship between "process" quality characteristics in English pre-school centres and the developmental progress made by children between the ages of 3-5 years. A nationally representative sample of 141 English pre-schools participated in this study with longitudinal pre- and post-test measures taken from 2857…

Based on a survey previously developed and pretested by the American Association of Law Libraries to gather information about the practices and use of standards by the producers of first generation microfilm, this survey was implemented by the Research Libraries Group, Inc., under contract to the Commission on Preservation and Access. The intent…

Compares the integration of Welsh, Northern Irish, and Scottish minority groups into the public education system of the United Kingdom from 1945-76. The author concludes that future assimilation of these groups depends upon the degree to which their educational ideologies agree with those of the dominant society. For journal ability, see SO 505…

States that volunteers are often used in the classroom to help children learn to read, but their impact on reading skills is unknown. Examines randomized controlled trials (RCT) in an effort to determine whether using volunteers improves children's reading. Finds that volunteering had a small effect on children's reading. (CMK)

Demonstrates a statistical model that can be used to develop graphical displays of uncertainty in student grade level placements versus their potential attainment. Suggests how the model can help determine how well the British National Curriculum assessments are working. (SK)

Presents findings from a British study of nearly 200 teachers who attended in-service education and training (INSET) courses at 4 British universities. Examines perceptions of course effects on teacher abilities. Finds teachers who felt their skills improved also reported improvements in student attainment. States INSET improves teachers'…

Extended matching sets questions (EMSQs) are a form of multiple-choice question (MCQ) consisting of a stem (the question or scenario) with an extended number of possible answers. Although there is no consensus on their absolute format, for the purpose of this paper a multiple-choice question with ten or more alternative answers is considered to be…

This paper provides a summary of findings from a series of independent studies that have been undertaken separately. The studies used a specific developmental test battery--the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology (INPP) Developmental Test Battery for use in schools with children with special educational needs--with a total of 810…

Background: The benefits of treating stuttering close to onset have become obvious in recent years, and the Lidcombe Program has emerged as an effective and safe treatment method for children in their preschool years. The benefits of implementing the programme with young children, however, need to be weighed against the knowledge that many…

This is a report of the Strand 1 element of the Universities UK project to examine part-time students and part-time study within the United Kingdom. The aim of Strand 1 of this project is to set out, as far as possible, factual information about students studying part-time and following programmes of study leading to higher education…

Information on resource allocation in United Kingdom (UK) universities, which is derived from a study by a Working Party of the Conference of University administrators, is presented. Attention is directed to: structures and constitutions; the use of norms and formulas; administration and central services; minor works, maintenance, and space; and…

In the United Kingdom in 1977 a national questionnaire survey was conducted by the University of Sheffield (England) under the direction of Frank Whitehead with children ages 10-14 years old to discover the kind and extent of children's voluntary reading. In 1994/95, Whitehead's study was replicated in the context of the 1990s. This report…

When looking at the relationship between individual earnings and schooling, there are potential sources of bias which arise due to individual education choices; individuals of higher unobserved ability or with higher unobserved payoffs from schooling may for instance invest more in education. This paper reviews alternative models and estimation…

Datasets are often under-exploited by institutions, yet they contain evidence that is potentially of high value for planning and decision-making. This article shows how institutional data were used to determine whether the demographic background of students might have an influence on their performance: this is a matter of particular interest where…