Increasing numbers of diverse families, caught in the web of poverty, are becoming homeless. Homeless shelters have tended to focus on meeting only critical necessities such as food and shelter. However, the needs of the homeless are much more complex and challenging. Homeless families have deep-rooted problems and fractured relationships. Staff…

This study examined the necessary elements for the development of a student orientation brochure for commuter students at Mount Vernon Nazarene College in Mount Vernon, Ohio. It reviewed nontraditional and commuter student literature and 10 commuter student brochures and orientation materials from other institutions. The orientation brochure that…

This study surveyed the regional cluster doctoral students in Nova University's Programs for Higher Education to determine their orientation needs and then developed a comprehensive orientation manual. Needs assessment survey forms were received from 24 regional cluster students (out of 29 survey forms sent) as well as 9 South Florida local…

A learning module was designed to provide orientation information to new inmate workers employed in one of the nonprofit prison industries that are part of Florida's PRIDE program. The orientation was intended to inform inmate workers about PRIDE program industries' mission and inmate job benefits. The module was developed on the basis of…

A needs assessment of elementary and secondary school media specialists indicated that an information handbook would improve the professional orientation of beginning media specialists. Such an instructional handbook was developed by excerpting policies and procedures from two district policy books, and taking guidelines from standard works on…

Educators in Indiana's Duneland School District found the transition from elementary schools to a newly organized middle school unacceptably difficult for both the students and their parents. After assessing student and parent preconceptions of the middle school as revealed in their responses to questionnaires, the middle school principal…

A manual was developed for use by the Rhode Island Department of Education to introduce the faculty of the William R. Davies, Jr. Career and Technical High School (Lincoln, Rhode Island) and other secondary schools to the rationale for integration of academic and vocational instruction. A literature review was conducted to provide a conceptual…

An orientation and peer helper program was developed at a public middle school in a rural community to reduce the problems associated with sixth-grade students transferring into the school during the school year. Transfer students and their parents or guardians were provided with a video and brochure that explained the school's services, programs,…

This practicum report describes the development of a handbook for Masters in Business Administration (MBA) students at the School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University, Florida. This project included a literature review, a review of handbooks from other universities, generation of a list of topics, development of an…

This study implemented objective, self-report measures in family preservation practice in hopes of increasing family involvement in families' goal attainment and growth. The practicum began by administering a survey entitled "Attitudes Regarding Measures" to practitioners, participants, and funders of a small, rural family preservation…

A study was conducted at Phillips County Community College (PCCC) to analyze the impact of freshman orientation classes on students' persistence and academic performance. The participants in the study were all first-time, full-time freshmen who entered PCCC during the fall 1982, spring 1983, or fall 1983 semesters. During the registration process,…

In 1995, this project was undertaken at Rochester Community College (RCC), in Minnesota, to develop a guide to services for students with disabilities to improve the provision of legally-required services and information. To determine both the special services needed by students with disabilities for college success and the topics that should be…

This practicum report describes a program intended to increase parent participation by improved information delivery at an elementary school. Background study of the school and community indicated approximately a 25% turnover rate of new families and students. Attendance at parent education workshops and school orientation tours before program…

A project was designed to reduce the turnover of direct care staff in a community-based residential facility that provides a home and educational or adult day training services for 54 severely or profoundly mentally and physically handicapped children and adults. The project sought to reduce total staff turnover by 40%, reduce employee…

The director of a child care center implemented and evaluated a 10-week practicum intervention designed to provide orientation and training experiences for the center's staff. About one third of the staff were part-time college students; one third were full-time workers with no degree; and one third were full-time professionals with college…