A common theme in justifications for autonomy in language learning is that autonomous learners become more highly motivated and work more effectively. This paper reviews the literature on motivation and suggests that an important link exists between autonomy and some theories of motivation that could explain the claimed power of autonomy. (24…

Interviews with the five 1992 winners of the national Student Humanitarian Service Awards focus on motivation for public service, relationship with the community, compulsory student service requirements, student recruitment, faculty recruitment, and personal development. (DB)

Considers how curricular self-analysis of patterns of classroom talk provides teachers with an important opportunity to consciously consider the ways their talk works to define the nature of literacy events, students' roles, and the literacy strategies children come to use and value. (SR)

Describes the development of a class at Zayed University (United Arab Emirates) that used laptop computers to make classroom instruction more student-centered. Discusses the design of self-paced materials and reports results that indicated students preferred a traditional teacher-centered lecture course. Considers implications for distance…

This study examined the current place of staff morale in the educational marketing of one high school in the northwestern United States. It also looked at ways in which staff morale could be improved to ensure a positive image of the school in the community. Research was conducted by emailing questionnaires on issues relating to staff morale to…

A review of the literature on strategies used by students to learn a second language suggests that the research can offer important insights into teaching learners who do not naturally arrive at successful learning strategies. Raising students' consciousness to the options for language learning is seen as crucial. It is also proposed that learner…

This research concerned political socialization in the early grades in two elementary schools with particular attention to differential socialization of middle and lower class children, and boys and girls. The research focused on authority patterns, teacher-pupil and pupil-pupil behavior streams and interaction, how teachers present the outside…

For the first three years of the Southeast Alternatives (SEA) project, the parents of the SEA school children were polled each year to determine their reasons for sending their children to these schools. Since the basis of the project was to include students themselves in the decision making process, it was decided that students should also be…

The relationship between student attitudes and the school as a political system is analyzed in this research report. Four types of school systems are hypothesized: elite, bureaucratic, coalitional, and participant. After testing this conceptualization, student attitudes of trust, integration, confidence, and interest toward both school and society…

Seven college students at Florida State University recognized on campus for exemplary character and service were interviewed about how college student peer groups function both to inhibit and to encourage development of character and civic responsibility. Their responses are summarized, and strategies that institutions can use to promote moral and…

It is argued that while second language teachers generally recognize the value of cultural diversity, they may not be acknowledging and taking full advantage of the diversity within their own classrooms. A variety of classroom techniques to support multiculturalism are offered. One is to examine, with student participation, both positive and…

This report gives the findings of two surveys of high school seniors on their views of leadership, conducted for Sylvan Learning Centers and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. One survey was conducted by mail with students who were named as one of their states' Sylvan/NASSP "Century III Leaders." The second survey was…

This paper discusses a study that examined the establishment of a new senior high school mathematics curriculum into schools in the State of Western Australia. Two aspects of change are discussed: (1) the extent to which the reconceptualization of the pedagogical approach to teaching mathematics encouraged in the reform was taken up by teachers,…

The question of why adult learners prefer particular course design patterns was studied. During fall 1981, 281 adult continuing professional education students at Cleveland State University and at several U.S. military bases in West Germany and Italy were studied. The research was based on two previous studies: one tested hypotheses generated from…

Issues that concern a culture are frequently reflected in the myths or stories that it tells. Education of its children frequently has caused discussion and debate in American society on topics such as "keeping up" with the Russians or whether test scores are higher or lower than five or ten years ago. Since television has become an influential…