It is a widely held perception in this country that private schools are superior to public schools. This digest examines school size and school culture as they relate to the high quality of education in private schools. The average private school is about half the size of the average public school. Reflecting Tonnies' (Ferdinand Tonnies, 1887)…

Pressures that have negatively affected the work environments of colleges are identified, and research concerning the work experience of faculty and administrators is reviewed. The effect of the extrinsic and intrinsic elements on faculty members' work is considered, including their power and autonomy, their relationships to the institution, and…

Intended to assist educators and trainers who must make recommendations about facilities to architects and school authorities, this ERIC information analysis project summarizes research on the design of both classrooms and individualized learning spaces that will optimize learning. Six teaching/learning space topics are considered: (1) light and…

This review and synthesis of research in business and office education is based on doctoral dissertations and some independent studies completed between 1968 and 1980. Approximately twelve hundred studies are reviewed and represent the following major content areas: philosophy and objectives, educational environment, social and business…

Written for rural educators, this handbook provides practical guidelines for working with rural youth who will be seeking jobs in urban areas. The suggested learning activities can be used for an independent course, integrated into existing programs, or applied in counseling. The introduction discusses needs of rural students and relates positive…

Continued, substantial migration of rural students to urban areas for work or further education can be expected, and preparing students for the move from rural to metropolitan areas is an important responsibility for educators. The differences between rural and metropolitan areas are significant, and appropriate preparatory activities in high…

This brief paper summarizes the current literature concerning youth aggression and violence especially risk, resilience, and prevention. It summarizes risk factors for aggression and violence including child characteristics (e.g., hyperactivity, risk-taking, emotional disturbance), home conditions (e.g., harsh and ineffective parental discipline,…

Although student school shootings of students have recently gained significant national attention, more routine forms of student violence (e.g. homicide, rape, aggravated assault, etc.) continue to plague our nation's schools and streets. These less sensational but equally harmful violent behaviors warrant appropriate response. This digest…

Five author contributed chapters explore the social environment of the schools as it relates to mainstreaming handicapped children. M. Reynolds discusses "The Changing Social Environment" in the first chapter. Emphasis is placed on the use of developmental scales in the organization of improved schools. "The Social Integration of Handicapped…

The learning organization (LO) can be described as an organizational culture in which individual development is a priority, outmoded and erroneous ways of thinking are actively identified and corrected, and all members clearly understand and support the purpose and vision of the organization. The LO has proved difficult to define. These five…

This pamphlet reviews five recent research studies that focus on various key aspects of school climate, a popular metaphor that is difficult to define, measure, or manipulate. "The Search for School Climate: A Review of the Research," by Carolyn Anderson, surveys the full scope of school climate literature, concluding with a summary of…

This guide is an inventory of over 100 kinds of readily available community resources for elementary and secondary social studies teachers, especially those in rural areas. The guide is organized in two major sections. The first describes resources relevant to social studies, organized by: the community's physical setting; its historical setting;…

This ERIC Digest provides an overview of concepts, writers, and tenets associated with the study of mathematics and culture and offers researchers a framework for the field, particularly with regard to rural contexts. (Author)

The New York City Citizens' Commission on Planning for Enrollment Growth submitted a report on overcrowding in New York City schools that may serve as a guide to other cities striving to provide an effective education for ever-increasing numbers of students. Research on the impact of school overcrowding has been inconclusive, but there is some…

Intended for administrators and policy makers as well as teachers, this digest examines the notion of language across the curriculum, or teaching writing, reading, speaking, and listening as interdependent skills rather than as separate subjects. After defining language across the curriculum, the digest discusses the history and theory of this…