Low levels of student achievement and school quality persist in developing countries. This document reviews the importance of school quality in increasing literacy and influencing economic growth in developing nations. Improvements are discussed in terms of: (1) school quality and economic development; (2) defining school quality; (3) improving…

A study looked at an agricultural extension project in south India to examine comprehension of the extension team's intentionality by the poorest farmers. Subjects, 50 farmers in the village of Porandla in the state of Andhra Pradesh, were interviewed and measured to see if their knowledge and comprehension approximated a constant across all…

A 2-year exchange program between Purdue University's extension Department of 4-H and Youth and Togo's University du Benin, funded by the United States Information Agency, is described. In the program, eight Togolese fifth-year agricultural students spent 6 weeks in Indiana with farm families, and eight Indiana 4-H members--including three…

User training experiences in Asian countries, using the UNISIST guidelines for training users of scientific and technical information, are reported through summaries of discussions following the presentation of papers, as well as the texts of the papers. Participants, including users, user trainers, and information handlers, heard these papers:…

The Inter-American Center for the Teaching of Statistics (CIENES), Santiago, Chile--an educational unit of the Organization of American States (OAS)--was evaluated. Elements which were assessed included operating costs and program results; methods of meeting user needs more effectively; identification of possible duplication; and ways in which…

Describes the development of a microcomputer simulation program that uses a fictional country to teach students about societal processes in developing nations. The discussion covers design objectives, the design process, and further possibilities for this type of simulation. (CLB)

Compares the role of a school library in an ideal situation and the situation in Kenya. The lack of school policies, lack of recognition, insufficient funding, and lack of qualified personnel are cited as factors responsible for the poor performance of school libraries in Kenya. (CLB)

This discussion of the merits of radio as a medium for distance education focuses on the 1982 Radio Education Research Project in Jamaica, which was developed to provide continuing education for rural primary health care workers. The potential future role of radio with education in developing countries is evaluated. (Author/LRW)

An ideal-typical model of multiculturalism combined with a theory of core values is applied to the development of values in Mauritius as a result of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century French settlers and British colonial administrators. Another model is proposed to help explain or predict the likelihood of conflict or harmony between cultural…

In spite of remarkable improvement over the past 20 years, there remain substantial deficits in Brazil's education levels and child health, as well as high levels of chronic grade repetition. This study examined the impact of Brazil's long established preschool as an early child development (ECD) intervention for improving the status of the…

Technology education planners must evaluate, change, and modify content to match rapid international advancements. Verification of seen and unseen factors that would improve technology education output is possible through periodic assessment of student learnability competence. The ultimate tool in researching student learnability is the assessment…

Noting that providing quality early childhood care and development programs is a challenge for policy makers and educational planners worldwide, this monograph presents the organizational arrangements of preschool education in a number of developed and developing countries, focusing primarily on OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and…

This publication reports on 18 months of research, debate, and deliberation by the Task Force on Higher Education and Society, convened by the World Bank and UNESCO, to bring together experts from 13 countries to explore the future of higher education in developing nations. The publication's six chapters address: (1) the long-standing problems and…

As the 20th century closes, the general consensus is that education in Africa is in crisis. The challenge is to revitalize education in Africa and to do so in ways that enable African countries not only to close the development gap but also to leap ahead. Pointing out the rich diversity and considering carefully the bounding conditions for each…

Problems in the Nigerian Universal Primary Education scheme including a high dropout rate and early formal school termination indicate that career education should be built into the program. A sequence for and advantages of introducing career education into primary and secondary schools are outlined. (JMF)