This article reports on a collaborative research project which involved first-year distance learners of Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish at a New Zealand university. Drawing on the principles of Allwright's exploratory practice, the study aimed to gain an insight into the learners' experiences and conceptualisations in terms of their…

Dunbar High School in Little Rock (Arkansas) was a segregated public school that served Black students from 1930 to 1955. A survey of Dunbar graduates revealed that the school was a central factor in preparing them to become qualified, contributing adults. (Author/WD)

Sport and physical education provide unique opportunities to contribute to the quality of life. Historically, they were enthusiastically used to develop high standards of ethical and moral behavior. Currently, however, cheating and violence have become standard, especially in North America, and are apparently accepted with mild criticism and only…

In a social system that rewards participation instead of quality, student response to academic failure is based on two basic assumptions: (1) participation should guarantee passing, and (2) academic failure equals failure as a person. There are implications for schools, students, staff, and society as a whole. (SB)

Surprising new studies show that privileged adolescents are more likely than any other socioeconomic group to suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. This article presents an interview with Madeline Levine, a Marin County, California, clinical psychologist of 25 years, and author of the new book "The Price of Privilege"…

Changing attitudes and life styles have made today's workers less dedicated to work values, says the president of the Work in America Institute. The author discusses the implications of these changes, workers' demands for participation in decision making, and the need for employers to show concern for human values. (MF)

Every school day, hundreds of West Virginia children ride school buses much longer than state guidelines say they should. Under those guidelines, no elementary student should be on the bus more than 30 minutes one way, middle school students 45 minutes, and high school students 1 hour. In fall 1999, public hearings about school transportation…

A college professor reflects on job satisfaction as it may apply to college professors in both universities and community colleges, lists opinions that both groups have about each other and themselves, and then lists work pleasures she has experienced at each. (MF)

Surveys of 158 West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy (GHA) students and 644 seniors in rural West Virginia high schools suggest that, compared to the latter, GHA students are less alienated; are not more eager to leave their community; exhibit stronger modern dispositions, but not weaker rustic dispositions; and are equally satisfied with their…

Data collected from a sample of over 200 elementary school children from Tennessee were used for studying their perceptions of the future. An interview guide-questionnaire provided information regarding children's perceptions along the following three different dimensions: how children perceived their own personal future; how they perceived…

This examination of political and social attitudes of American youth in the 1980's begins with a comparison of the youth of the 1960's with the youth of the 1970's. Results from four major studies are presented and a composite picture of youth in the eighties is presented. Findings show that the personal and professional values of American…

Surveys 600 Russian college students regarding their hopes for the future, economic and social advancement, and personal information. Argues that, although students generally are optimistic about their future, many fail to exhibit the self-discipline necessary to be successful. Skepticism about the government is endemic. (MJP)

This essay looks at three kinds of changes in American society over the period from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s. First, data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) are used to measure trends in college freshmen's political identification, materialism, concern for law and order, and concern for helping others. In all these…

Many current school problems arise from a desiccated sense of institutional purpose that fosters student and teacher alienation. A regeneration rather than reform is in order. This essay mixes research findings, personal concerns, and individual speculations to provide educators an entry point for further discussion regarding the moral life of…

This collection of columns on teaching English as a Second Language in Japan appeared on the English education page of a Japanese English-language newspaper over a period of almost 4 years. Article topics include these: principles of second language learning; differences between language skills; standards of usage; avoiding stereotypes; school…