A study was done to examine the effort put into their undergraduate study by University of California Davis students and their estimates of what they think they have gotten out of their study. The study used data collected from a stratified random sample of 300 Black students, 300 Chicanos, and 886 other students all of whom received a survey in…

The study sought to: (1) identify the determinants that motivate Hispanic-American students to enroll in high school chemistry; and (2) determine if providing belief-based information to students and their parents/guardians increases chemistry registration. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) guided the…

The perceptions of undergraduates regarding the social environment of the University of California-Davis campus are presented, based on a student opinion survey. The extent and nature of social integration among undergraduates is discussed, with a focus on whether the social environment differs among ethnic groups (Black, Chicano, Asian, and…

A study examined the attitudes of youths from low income and disadvantaged households toward themselves, school, and work. A random sample of 7547 youths (about evenly divided between male and female) aged 14 to 20 from eight sites were surveyed concerning their opinions of themselves, their perceptions of their current jobs (if employed), their…

In December 1996, a peace accord ended 30 years of civil war in Guatemala, during which an estimated 200,000 people were killed and over 1 million were displaced. Most of the war's victims have been indigenous (Maya) Guatemalans--who make up about 65 percent of the population--and other supporters of economic and political reforms. In this book,…

A study examining student perceptions of teacher ethnic bias surveyed 2,409 Mexican American and non-Latino white adolescent dropouts and students from three communities in the southwestern United States. Although perceptions of teacher ethnic bias were not rampant, such perceptions existed to a greater degree among dropouts, Mexican Americans,…

Graduating seniors (N=667) in a large high school were surveyed concerning their college plans and understandings of costs. Costs were largely determinant of college plans for children of Spanish-speaking parents, but these students had the most unrealistic estimates of college tuition. Implications for counseling are discussed. (SLD)

A class in racial tolerance, now in its third year at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn's (New York City) Bensonhurst section, is being replicated in 15 other schools. The weekly year-long class traces the civil rights movement and examines causes of contemporary racial strife. (SLD)

Teachers' perceptions of behavior and social skills, peer and self-perceptions of social status, and academic achievement were examined for 239 kindergartners in the fall and spring. Students were classified as learning disabled (LD) prior to identification and low, average, and high achievers. Social difficulties of LD students are discussed.…

Describes a difficult sixth grade girl who spent her elementary school years fighting to feel happy. The article focuses on a teacher's efforts to raise the child's self-esteem by examining her home life then taking appropriate steps to encourage success (e.g., tutoring younger students). (SM)

Investigates the relationship between social studies classroom environment and student motivation. Correlates several environmental variables with three motivational constructs (academic motivation, academic self-concept, and social self-concept) among 157 sixth grade, predominantly Hispanic students. Finds student satisfaction significantly…

Research shows a serious underrepresentation of Hispanic students entering the math, science, and engineering fields, possibly fueled by a large gap in math achievement between Hispanic and Euro-American students. The current study addressed this concern by examining the general school-related attitudes, coursework, and achievement, with a focus…

In this book, Gail Thompson asked the students in a low performing school to be candid about their high school experiences. Using this information and relying on data from questionnaires and focus groups, Thompson discovered a huge gap in perception between how teachers and students view their experience of school. The book explores this…

St. Augustine College (SAC), in North Carolina, has undertaken four studies to gather data on factors related to student persistence, transfer, and withdrawal from the college. In the first study, graduating students from June 1990 to December 1992 were surveyed to determine influences on their decisions to transfer to a university. Three major…

"Adelante...con Ganas!" (Forward...with Enthusiasm) was a 3-year transitional bilingual program implemented at Burbank Middle School in the Houston Independent School District (Texas). The program consisted of three levels of bilingual instruction, from preliterate through intermediate, in which students were placed following state and…