The first of three issues presents seven articles dealing with recent developments in educational research. The first article, "Black College Faculty: A Dwindling Resource," discusses the relative lack of black college teachers and the declining interst of new black Ph.D.s in careers in academia. The second article, "Introducing the…

After World War II, an optimistic, rationalist ideology infused with Jeffersonian values influenced worldwide educational growth. The idea of a universal, free, compulsory system replaced an older elitist ideology. The equality ideology held that (1) cultural integration was necessary for national unity and (2) a shortage of trained manpower was…

The present status of higher education in the United States is considered, based on the theory of development of human capital, which proposes that the developed abilities of a nation's population are fundamental to its economic growth and well-being. Attention is also directed to social and cultural benefits. The following ideas are stressed:…

Findings of research conducted by Richard B. Freeman and J. Herbert Hollomon concerning the benefits of higher education are disputed. The variations in data choice and use are discussed that seem to explain differences in the findings of Freeman and a completely separate study conducted by the author. Freeman reported that the rate of return on…

Current rural policies at both the federal and state levels do not meet the needs of rural people and communities; they are designed for the past, not the future. Agricultural subsidies absorb most federal resources directed to rural areas, with no evidence of benefits for rural communities. The continuing state-level pursuit of low-wage,…

This collection of papers covers, from a European perspective, the basic aspects of investments in physical educational facilities, as well as important issues in the economics of education. Four themes are covered. The first presents the art of the economic analysis of educational projects. The second focuses on the contribution of performance…

Describes research undertaken to improve measures of rural job skills, identify human capital initiatives supportive of rural development, and assess rural access to education and job training. Major themes include complexity of weaknesses and strengths in rural skills development systems, advantages of rural schools, and mutual reinforcement of…

Examines whether economic conditions similarly influence the college enrollment of adolescents from different groups. Indicates effects of income returns varies systematically by race, class, gender, and cognitive skills. Argues that college enrollment of white males from lower socioeconomic origins with lower cognitive skills is most consistent…

Data from the 1970 National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience are employed to estimate the foregone earnings of college students. An estimation of earnings functions from male and female youths who are not enrolled in school, and the potential earnings of enrollees is derived by substituting the characteristics of enrollees into the…

A 2-year project designed to identify and meet the needs of America's independent scholars is described. Project objectives were to: increase visibility and support for independent scholarship; learn more about independent scholars and their activities and organizations; identify the main problems and needs of independent scholars; stimulate…

Public and private initiatives designed to enhance U.S. competitiveness were suggested to the President of the United States by the Business-Higher Education Forum, based on a 1-year research and study effort. The Forum's findings include: the U.S. economy is lagging behind its own past performance and the gains of other nations; economic vitality…

Cost and benefits of education are studied by this collection of eight papers by economists in relation to issues of the genetic component of variation in intelligence, differences between integration and desegregation, and diminishing returns in educational expenditures. Silver's paper challenges the idea that better schools cannot be obtained by…

This series of population exercises for undergraduate use aims at bringing the student to the realization that he is a population actor and that his attitudes, values, and behavior are the raw material of population analysis. The following exercises engage the student by personal involvement and by case study approach in the use of demographic…

The view of the British government toward higher education has been subject to changing perspectives with the role of economic analysis becoming more significant. Government policy implications for higher education resource allocation can be rationalized in terms of the human capital approach and the problems of managing a bureau. (Author/MLF)

Educational cost-benefit analysis, as practiced in both industrialized and developing nations, has been much criticized. Manpower planning, the principal alternative, has received even harsher criticism. The two approaches should be combined in empirically based projects that study recent graduates and chart their subsequent employment progress.…