The goal of this book is to increase the usefulness and relevance of research to educational practice, particularly in the area of improving student learning. It proposes and describes an experiment: the establishment of a Strategic Education Research Program (SERP). The SERP plan calls for a large-scale and sharply defined program of research,…

Presents recommendations from a January 1979 seminar held in Bengal, India, of representatives from different voluntary agencies associated with the national adult education program. Three groups discussed program components (literacy, awareness, and functionality), integrating development with adult education, voluntary agencies and government…

Teaching conformity through coercion limits students' willingness to take risks and make decisions regarding their learning. In contrast, a Foxfire classroom environment that meets psychological needs empowers students to make choices about their learning, eliminates fear of failure, allows students to establish their own standards of achievement,…

Discusses the use of assessment to stimulate creativity and communication skills in engineering students. Describes full-scale studies for students in engineering, physics, computer science, and mathematics at two universities in Sweden. New examination methods include continuous assessment, seminars, mini-conferences, oral presentations, written…

Discusses the eight learner attributes of immersion, reflection, play and flow, collaboration, learner control, curiosity, fantasy, and challenge, which were identified as being important in bringing about motivation and engagement in adult learners. Describes the interactive multimedia learning environment, "Principles of Financial Investment,"…

A study of Hmong adult immigrants in a Hmong literacy class investigated four aspects of their learning behaviors: specific behaviors manifested in the literacy classroom; overt learning strategies used for literacy learning; major motivations; and specific uses for Hmong literacy skills. Data were gathered through observation, interviews,…

Designed for media specialists and educators, this issue includes five articles exploring the contributions of children's films to museum programs. Following a brief editorial encouraging the use of films in museums, the first article outlines a picture storybook model for evaluating children's films. Several storybook models are identified, and a…

The University of San Francisco developed a certificate program in Western European area studies covering French-speaking countries, and subsequently a Latin American area studies program for Spanish-speaking countries, in response to uneven language enrollments and as a means of increasing intermediate-level enrollment. The French program begins…

Although ability partly explains why some students are eager to learn in school whereas others are disinterested, motivation is another significant factor. This newsletter discusses factors that affect students' motivation to learn, considers techniques that can increase motivation, and identifies schools that have developed activities to enhance…

This paper describes a learner centered, cooperative learning group project in a post-secondary English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classroom in Japan. The objectives of the cooperative learning project were fivefold: students would learn to work enthusiastically toward activating target language learning acquired in the past; do research on a…

The Gateway Program at Temple University helps equip working adults to develop their own design for living, engage in educational planning in a context of accelerating societal change, and be more effective in all areas of their lives. The program uses ongoing mentoring, courses and workshops, certification, and faculty development. (Author/MSE)

Recommends turning some of the more tedious aspects of elementary instrumental rehearsals (particularly playing scales) into games. Describes a number of educational games that can be constructed around these activities, including a "Wheel of Fortune" parody. (MJP)

"Editorial" (Gurnah); "What Should Further Education Be Accountable For?" (Perry); "Women Not for Turning" (Rose); "Rooting Learning" (Yarnit); "Governors Hold the Key" (Searle); "Back on Track" (Miskin, Hartley); "Quality and Quantity in Higher Education" (Mitchell);…

Describes the faculty development efforts at eight medical schools participating in a large-scale medical curriculum development project, exploring faculty-development topics and the methods and ways the institutions motivated faculty to participate. Outcome measures used to gauge program effectiveness are also discussed. Concludes that approaches…

The Newark (New Jersey) career education program (K-12) was based on three components: elementary--career awareness; junior high--career exploration; and senior high--career guidance and placement. An external evaluation by Fred Streit Associates assessed the attainment of behavioral objectives specified for the program's components to utilize…