Noting that adolescents' academic achievement depends, to a large degree, on adolescents' motivation, this chapter takes an achievement goal theory perspective to show how the manner in which adolescents adopt differing achievement goal orientations provides a framework for understanding the processes that contribute to their adoption of adaptive…

Career development for the next wave of competent leaders and technically trained workers during e-globalization is one of the most difficult challenges advanced nations face. Career development programs that begin in elementary education and have e-paradigms as a logical choice as the preferred scenario are needed by e-commerce in all its…

Retention and graduation rates have been topics of concern for undergraduate institutions. These indicators are not as applicable for two-year institutions where students' goals are more varied. This study examined the retention over four semesters of 678 first-time, full-time community college students with respect to their initial educational…

Students exhibiting failure syndrome approach assignments with low expectations of success and tend to give up at early signs of difficulty. This Digest delineates the nature of failure syndrome, suggests strategies for coping with failure syndrome students, and discusses how teachers can help. Some students, especially in the early grades, show…

This guide provides step-by-step activities for facilitators to run a discussion and planning meeting with a group of people interested in learning about and taking action related to the Adult Literacy Summit Action Agenda. It is intended for groups such as literacy coalitions, program staff, state-level staff, or other governmental and nonprofit…

In addition to those adjustments that any new parents must make, lesbian mothers face numerous special concerns. This book offers information and support for lesbian parents on relations between lesbian mothers and the outside world, child development and social issues, and special circumstances. Chapter 1 introduces a group of lesbian mothers and…

Although there is a high level of research activities in the field of gender, these activities are only very loosely interconnected. In particular, the developmental and social psychological paradigms of research do not seem to have very much in common. This paper shows that at the intersection of developmental and social psychology many issues…

This report aims to encourage the wider use of target setting for individual students and trainees in the learning and skills sector, defined as the provision of post-16 further and continuing education and training, funded and inspected in England by the new Learning and Skills Council. Section 1 addresses types of targets for individual students…

Markus and Nurius (1986) are credited with developing the concept of possible selves, which represents individuals' ideas of what they might become, what they would like to become, and what they fear becoming. It has been applied in research and practice with adolescents exploring career choices; adults in transition; and older adults envisioning…

A 5-month project was conducted by the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) to develop a better posttest to evaluate student goals and their tutoring experience after they had worked with a volunteer tutor for approximately 50 hours. During the project, the existing evaluation form was reviewed, and a new one-page posttest evaluation sheet…

School-related research is reviewed under seven categories of nonverbal communication: environmental factors, proxemics, kinesics, touching behavior, physical characteristics, paralanguage, and artifacts. (Author/MH)

Comparison of the responses of Asian, black, and white honors students attending a first-year seminar at a large research university found that Asians differed most often from white and black students on all issues. Academic issues most often engendered group differences. Results suggest that racial subgroups in the honors student population have…

This study examined the application of the ecological approach and community education to support the participation of 27 male students at a Finnish reform school in various leisure time activities and facilities. The students expressed needs to join in the production system, cultural system, contact system, and decision-making system of society.…

Discusses future directions for training teachers of students with visual impairments, based on relevant literature and the history of teacher preparation at George Peabody College (Tennessee). Two issues are examined: how to train enough teachers and how to provide the necessary competencies for teaching children with various abilities. (SM)

Educators and researchers interested in responding to the demands of politicians and citizens to improve the American educational system have responded with the creation of national and, often, state standards across subject areas. Physical education teachers and researchers who recognize the importance of physical education, and as part of an…