In most cases, an optometry student's academic difficulty can be traced to some underlying cause other than academic preparation. Preventive measures should include admission restricted to students meeting selection criteria, pre-enrollment academic enrichment, appropriate support services and remedial programs as needed. (MSE)

This study investigated risks for transitioning from nonsmoking to smoking during three transition periods as a function of gender, predisposing attributes, and participation in social influences education, examining four dispositional factors. Survey data indicated that dispositional factors were important determinants of smoking onset and that…

Questionnaires returned by 105 faculty at Drake University (Iowa) indicated that student traits and competencies most valued by faculty were (1) personal development, (2) research activities, (3) conscientiousness, (4) self-confidence, (5) student activities and community service, (6) oral communication skills, and (7) questioning. Results have…

Examines individual, family, and community factors identified in the literature as affecting achievement, attainment, and aspiration among African-American youth in junior and senior high school. In considering the complex interactions between achievement and attainment, it is necessary to review ways that achievement is measured and the…

Examines the life and work of a teacher of Japanese traditional dance ("Nihon Buyo") in the United States, K. Fujima. Describes the following: (1) Fujima's educational approach; (2) her students' learning experience; and (3) her contributions to the maintenance of Japanese ideal behavior in the communities in which she teaches. (SLD)

Reports on a study of the effect of small-group, active-learning approaches to bibliographic instruction and psychological type on learning and confidence. No significant relationship was found between students' scores and teaching method or psychological type. A significant relationship was found between knowledge scores and the librarian…

Explores the impact of gender diversity on school achievement, using data from an ethnographic study of academic success among 33 eleventh-grade students in a Washington (DC) high school. The normalized definition of femaleness juxtaposed with a dominating patriarchy propels African-American females to resist images that assert their nothingness.…

This study evaluated whether personality and family characteristics could predict socioemotional adjustment of 44 adolescent girls enrolled in a residential early college entrance/acceleration program. Results indicated predictive relationships between staff, student, and peer assessments (such as Jackson Personality Inventory and the…

Contrasts the author's experience as a public school student in Nigeria with his experiences in a public high school in a suburb of Washington (DC). In spite of poor funding, institutional bias, and cultural differences, the student believes that his Nigerian education was superior in atmosphere conducive to academic achievement. (SLD)

Utilizes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to delineate four basic personality types and their corresponding learning styles. Compares student's learning style with professor's teaching style. Suggests options for improving instruction by offering teaching and grading strategies that better accommodate student personality types and learning…

Examined impulsive suicide attempts within a population-based, case-control study of nearly lethal suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults. Impulsive attempts were more likely among those who had been in a physical fight and less likely among those who were depressed. Findings suggest inadequate control of aggressive impulses as a…

In the context of schooling, resiliency refers to the ability to thrive academically despite adverse circumstances. In this study the relationship between academic resilience and student's collateral learning is explored in 20 students of Cree ancestry. The individual resilience of each student was examined by identifying protective factors for…

This qualitative study explored parents' perceptions of how their homelessness affected the development and academic achievement of their children. Grounded theory with symbolic interactionism was the framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 34 homeless families in a variety of settings. Multiple factors…

How does a dean or department or division chairperson fit into the administrative structure of a community college? How do these middle managers best work with faculty? These are questions that have evolved in community and technical colleges, as they moved into this new century. The roles of the middle manager will vary by campus throughout the…

The article presents the life story of a young Roma cultural mediator who narrates (1) her life and professional decisions, still rather uncommon among young Roma women, and (2) the impact of her education and work experiences and achievements on her self perception. The narratives, from which the life story emerges, express the young Roma's…