A total of 137 students--72 program and 65 nonprogram participants--took part in a longitudinal study investigating the effect of an outdoor orientation program for freshmen at a small liberal arts college in the Northeast. Principal instrument was the Environmental Preference Questionnaire. Results indicated that the orientation program had a…

Identifies the extent to which the "Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale" (SDLRS) is a reliable and valid instrument for use with graduate students (N=356). Argues that the results of the study warrant the integration of such developmental constructs as tolerance, self-concept, creativity, initiative, self-understanding, and…

Discusses the integration of wilderness pursuits and outdoor opportunities with more traditional student orientation activities, an area of programming that has become increasingly popular over the last several years in response to changing student interests. Addresses the structure of wilderness pursuit orientation programs, liability issues, and…

Examined the effects on teaching techniques of faculty (n=68) at the University of South Carolina who taught a freshman seminar after completing a training workshop. Many faculty reported that they had transferred the new teaching techniques learned in preparation for the freshman seminar to their discipline-based courses. These included lecturing…

Describes the College Orientation Program offered by South Mountain Community College in Arizona, an intensive three-day program focusing on study skills, coping strategies, skills assessment, and exposure to postsecondary education. Explains operational considerations; collaboration among high schools, community colleges, universities, and…

Tests the claim to comprehensiveness of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives by analyzing educational objectives of some freshmen orientation programs and those connected with human developmental tasks. It is concluded that the taxonomy should be enlarged with a fourth domain: actual induction into tasks for which students are being…

The development of a one-day preenrollment program for early acceptees at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Rutgers Medical School that informs the acceptees about the educational program is described. An increase of 40 percent of the acceptees appears to be related directly to the program. (Author/MLW)

Presents a play that gives elementary school students a lighthearted but informative overview of middle school life. The play presents information about curriculum, lockers, physical education, materials, and classwork. Notes student reactions to the presentation. (RC)

Examined the perceived orientation needs of college freshmen and transfer students (N=527) and whether these needs were met or unmet. Results showed that new students, both before and after orientation, saw academic and career planning as the primary objective of an orientation program. (WAS)

Studied effects of four types of orientation approaches on disadvantaged Black freshmen students' attitudes toward discussing problems with counseling center staff, knowledge of counseling center services, and perceived use of the counseling center to discuss problems in the future. Showed small group orientation the most effective method. (RC)

The author suggests children's books and interdisciplinary activities that deal with the changes and adjustments that children face at the beginning of a school year: learning names, meeting new people, and overcoming the fear of being different. (SJL)

This article describes the transition program at Goodyear Junior High in Akron, Ohio. Beginning in the spring, it helps reduce the adjustment anxiety of sixth graders and their parents by familiarizing them with the school and preparing them for the junior high school experience. Some evaluative feedback is cited. (SJL)

Reasons for the failure of special programs to help college freshmen adjust to school are analyzed. (JD)

The Avon Grove School District has a middle school orientation program for incoming elementary students and their parents, which consists of several visits and open houses in the Spring and at the beginning of the Fall term. (SJL)

Examines the perceived needs of incoming freshmen on a newly created instrument, the Freshman Survey. The instrument contains four scales with items related to personal/emotional, social, academic, and career needs. Freshmen indicated higher pre- and post-orientation needs on the academic and career scales. Also discusses student needs with…