The current resurgence of racism on America's college campuses suggests that institutions may need to take a more conscious look at how they might be influencing students' racial attitudes. This paper examines: (1) the individual student characteristics and beliefs that influence white students' racial attitudes at college entry; (2) the impact of…

The language arts program presented in this volume evolved from work with at-risk students at an inner-city high school in Tucson (Arizona). The original computerized literacy program sponsored by International Business Machines, the Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System (PALS), was expanded into a comprehensive 3-year program designed to meet…

This paper presents a model for designing computer-based simulation environments within a constructivist framework for the K-12 school setting. The following primary criteria for the development of simulations are proposed: (1) the problem needs to be authentic; (2) the cognitive demand in learning should be authentic; (3) scaffolding supports a…

This paper describes an evaluation the 1988-89 implementation of the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), which began in Community School District 15 in Brooklyn (New York) as a collaborative effort with the city's board of education and other community school districts and agencies. The evaluation assessed RCCP components and the RCCP's…

This study assesses whether or not there is a significant difference in school climate, as reported by students' affective attitudes, toward curriculum and instruction for a cohort from one academic year to the next when intervention programs have been introduced. In the fall of 1989, the Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools…

Early Childhood Family Education is a voluntary public school program for Minnesota families with children through kindergarten age. The program's mission is to support parents' ability to provide for their children's development. To determine the program's effectiveness, participating parents were interviewed in the fall of 1990 and again at the…

This study of family preservation projects was initiated in order to have a clearer understanding of the ways in which local agencies collaborate to help families maintain a nurturing home and avoid out-of-home placement for children, and how school-age children are helped to remain in their homes and communities. An attempt to identify projects…

A study was done of the effects of cooperative learning and conflict resolution on the student perception of the social climate at three campuses of an alternative high school in New York City. The study looked at the effect on one campus that received 2 years of conflict resolution training, another campus that received 2 years of cooperative…

This publication presents findings from evaluations of many school health programs from across the United States. Each program includes at least one of the following eight components of a comprehensive school health program: health education, clinical services, counseling and mental health services, school environment, school food programs,…

The document presents partial recommendations of a Pennsylvania State University Study Group on the Status of Women at the University. Recommendations concern "chilly" classroom climate, dual career recruitment and retention, and employee relations and representation. Among specific recommendations are the following: (1) study the…

Aside from the growth of world population itself, urbanization is the dominant demographic trend of the late twentieth century. The number of people living in cities increased from six hundred million in 1950 to over two billion in 1986. If this growth continues unabated, more than half of humanity will reside in urban areas shortly after the turn…

An article on the suggestopedic method for adult second language instruction describes the learning processes emphasized in the method and outlines the instructional processes used. The approach is based on the creation of a pleasant, relaxing, and stimulating environment where all information has positive emotional content, and uses subconscious…

A discussion of bilingualism and second language learning distinguishes three types of bilingualism, namely, compound, coordinate, and sub-coordinate. A compound bilingual is an individual who learns two languages in the same environment so that he/she acquires one notion with two verbal expressions. A coordinate bilingual acquires the two…

The Natural Approach to second language instruction has theoretical flaws and tends to reverse teaching methods that have been used successfully for many years. The approach exaggerates the presumed failure of previous language programs and ignores some important characteristics of children's language learning processes. It assumes that explicit…

The Michigan Infrastructure Coalition was formed to review needs and make judgments concerning priorities for future infrastructure investments in Michigan. This report describes the coalition's findings and is intended to serve as the guidelines for state elected officials. Contents include: (1) an introduction (specifying priority areas); (2)…