Learning to coexist continues to be one of the challenges faced by the current educational system, especially for those schools located in contexts at risk of social exclusion where the violence rate increases on a daily basis. The main aim sought by the present study consists in assessing the impact of a program developed at an educational center…

"Minimum" and "maximum" models of social control theory derived from the work of Travis Hirschi are formally stated in the language of Goodman's log linear system. (Author/JC)

The modern university reflects many of the tensions and stresses of the wider society of which it is a part. The conditions generating conflict are related to the ambiguity and multiplicity of academic goals. Within the context of a political model of the university, various strategic and tactical methods for dealing with conflict between…

Faculty and student opinions about general education at Southwest Texas State University were assessed, along with the effect of the matrix administration structure. Views concerning the present requirements and structure of general education were surveyed, based on administration of faculty and student questionnaires. The survey data revealed…

This action research project evaluated a program to improve students' ability to resolve conflicts. Many students of the targeted third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classrooms lacked a well-defined sense of classroom community as well as the ability to resolve conflicts peaceably. Research indicated that specific skills needed to be taught. For this…

A 12-week practicum was developed to improve school climate by using conflict resolution in grades K-6. Staff and students completed a poll designed to assess their concerns about the daily functioning of the school. The school's climate was discussed in light of how the student body reacted to the school setting, with emphasis on areas where…

Poor social skills among young elementary school students can result in lack of cooperation with others and an inability to resolve conflicts. This action research project examined the impact of a program for improving social competence through improving listening skills, cooperation, respect for others, and respect for authority. Participating in…

This practicum addressed the low self-esteem, poor academic achievement, strained interpersonal relationships, and difficulty in dealing with growing diversity noted in fifth-graders in an urban elementary school. A six-part solution strategy was developed that emphasized: (1) building realistic self-esteem; (2) increasing cultural and ethnic…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program to improve student motivation through the use of cooperative learning and multiple intelligences. The targeted population consisted of students in fourth, sixth, and tenth grade in a consolidated school district located in a rural area in the Midwest. The problems of low academic…

This practicum set up a classroom-based model for peer mediation in grades 3 and 4. During the project's implementation, the school psychologist delivered, individually to each of 6 different third and fourth-grade classrooms, 8 weeks of classroom instruction on conflict resolution. When all 6 classes were familiar with conflict resolution…

Examined the situations in which a random sample of African-American middle school students are violent, the students' interpretations of these situations, the goals of their violent behavior, and how they justify the use of threats or force against others. Created recommendations for violence prevention implied by these research findings. (TJQ)