Staff development programs can help Catholic educators deal with critical problems now facing them. Parochial school teachers must become better able to prepare students to address difficult issues like dwindling resources or eroding morals. They must be given a knowledge of current theories of teaching and learning such as those of Piaget or…

This paper briefly summarizes the findings of a recent survey that investigated the attitudes of American Catholics toward Catholic schools and toward the Catholic church as a whole, then discusses the implications of the survey findings for the future of Catholic schools in the United States. The data suggest that the decline in mass attendance…

Catholic universities and colleges are challenged to retain a lively sense of their Catholic identity and to fulfill their specific responsibilities to the Church and to society. Theology is a search to understand more clearly the heritage of faith preserved, transmitted and made explicit by the Church. (MLW)

Libraries are an integral part of life and librarians are educators. Beyond that their role as Christian educators is to offer wisdom, love, respect, and encouragement to all people who use the library. This mission is vital because of the heightened demands of our "lifelong learning" society. (CDD)

Most young children are exuberant and enthusiastic about their futures, believing they can do almost anything. But many eventually lose hope. Efforts to understand at what developmental point children lose hope is the focus of this paper. Students in grades 1 through 12 (N=990) who attend Catholic and public schools were administered the…

This paper describes a study of links between school environment and classroom environment in Catholic high schools in Australia. A sample of 893 students in 40 grade-9 and grade-12 religious education classes and 80 teachers of religious education in Catholic high schools was used to assess 4 dimensions of school environment (Empowerment, Student…

Gender differences in taking advanced science courses and the characteristics of schools that affect course taking by high school girls were studied using data from the High School Effectiveness Study, a supplement of the National Longitudinal Study of 1988. The sample consisted of 3,430 students who attended 184 high schools between 1988 and…

This paper examines the value of religion in developing a school community capable of forming social capital. Research included a multiple case study approach involving a Catholic school, a non-Catholic religious school, and a public school within the same geographic area. Data collection involved: school documents (parent-student handbooks,…

This study examines the relationship of adolescent identity achievement to parental monitoring and support. The 1,012 students who comprise the sample were drawn from two administrations of a survey, the first including sophomores and seniors and the second consisting only of seniors from two Catholic high schools in the Washington, DC area.…

Financial support of elementary and secondary education in Canada has gone from absolute local dependence to local with some government support to local with substantial government support to current total government support with restricted, if any allowed, local support. This has been challenged on constitutional grounds in two provinces, Alberta…

This study investigated whether there would be a relationship between teacher candidates' pre-admission goal statements and their subsequent performance as intern teachers. Researchers examined graduate-level preservice teachers' personal motivations and interests in applying to be teachers with the Alliance for Catholic Education (which is based…

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, the achievement growth of students in magnet schools, Catholic schools, and secular private schools was compared to that of students in public comprehensive schools during the first two years of high school. Some advantages of magnet schools and Catholic schools are discussed. (SLD)

This case study examined changes which have taken place at two independent colleges founded by Catholic religious orders (referred to respectively as "Josephite College" and "Jesuit College") and the effects of those changes on the Catholic character and identity of each college. The study involved interviews with faculty members and…

This paper presents findings of a case study that examined Australian primary teachers' perceptions of school-based curriculum development (SBCD). The study was conducted at Blackpool Primary School, a Catholic school in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Data were derived from participant observation, a teacher questionnaire, interviews with all…

Research results show a skepticism among Polish youth concerning the possibility of implementing the accepted socialist values in political practice and denote a steady erosion of socialism's image. Youth organizations are many and varied, but it appears that most join because of the opportunity to meet friends, not because of political…