This book reviews research and theories concerning environment-behavior relations in educational settings. Chapter 1, "The Ecosystemic Metaphor," presents the school as an open system, considers psychological theories of human behavior, and defines the environment. Chapter 2, "The Behaviour Setting," looks at relations between…

This book explores the construction of the idea of the child as a product of adult needs and school as a place where children may be confined until they are considered socially useful. Drawing parallels with folk singer Bob Dylan's song, "It's All Right, Ma, I'm Only Bleeding," the book argues that the United States' educational system practices a…

Over the last 20 years, the college enrollment rate of Latino high school graduates has dropped dramatically in comparison to that of non-Latino Whites. Among college graduates, the only category in which Latinos earned a degree at a higher rate than non-Latino Whites was at the associate's degree level. Latinos have nearly reached parity with…

High schools organized into schools-within-schools (SWS) have the capacity to create social capital, a sense of trust and connection among teachers and students that can be used in the service of teaching and learning. These differentiated social groupings, or subunits, can influence members' sense of identity during the transition to high school,…

This paper presents and discusses data based on the perceptions of 128 persistent school absentees on their initial and continued reasons for missing school. The findings suggest that a greater proportion of the students were inclined to blame their institutions, rather than social or psychological factors, for their behavior. (SSH)

Goodness of fit is the compatibility between a child's temperament and his or her environment. When temperament is recognized, respected, and accommodated by creating complementary classroom environments and situations, healthy social and personality development occurs. Compatibility between the child and the demands and expectations of teachers…

Highlights selected recent ERIC documents that discuss aspects of program and school effectiveness in middle level education. Provides citations on eight books and five journal articles with abstracts and ordering information. (AA)

Discusses the need for reform at the middle school educational level. Suggests that middle schools should create an environment that reflects and responds to young adolescents' needs and developmental level. Effective middle school teachers must adopt new modes of teaching as they face the challenges and opportunities presented by changing…

Discusses four principles that can help middle school environments overcome common behavior problems and become places where young adolescents develop responsibility for their learning: (1) foster natural human development; (2) respond to individual needs; (3) avoid artificially imposed classroom order and promote self organization; and (4) value…

Recommends that teachers nurture students' emotional intelligence by teaching coping skills, how to acquire and use information, how to work with others, and how to manage personal growth. Discusses usefulness of emotional intelligence during transition to middle school, and suggests educators involve students in common activities that foster…

Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. People with autistic spectrum disorders experience difficulties with social interaction, social communication and imagination--known as the "triad of impairments". The mainstream school environment…

Students entering the university have to create a space for themselves, not only in the writing classroom, but in their relationships with faculty, other students, and their evolving selves. A curricular support mechanism helps students enlarge their educational process. Such a support system, the Linked Courses Program, has been in operation at…

This survey was designed to investigate reading and number work (arithmetic) performance of 7-, 9-, and 11-year-old children attending parish primary schools in Victoria and to compare levels of performance with variables relating to general adjustment, personal variables, home circumstances, and school organization. Subjects, obtained by…

Looking at rural Australia, this paper addresses the issue of providing adequate resources to create high quality and diversified higher education environments and the need for more data on the quality of rural student life. A review of the literature shows the underrepresentation of rural students in higher education; rural barriers to…

This paper examines some theories and approaches for better integrating minority students into college environments for creating a good "fit" for an increasingly diverse student body, and thereby increasing student retention. Several factors are found to affect diversity: an increased proportion of minorities; an increase in the average age of…