This symposium on human resource development (HRD) and small manufacturers consists of three presentations. "Toward a Model of Technical Assistance for Small Manufacturers: The Role of Performance Technology" (Dale C. Brandenburg) reviews literature documenting the need for technical assistance to small manufacturers, especially as it…

The provision of school services for severely mentally retarded children presents a problem of considerable importance in many States and local communities. In general the problem involves children whose extreme retardation prevents them from benefiting from the existing special classes for retarded pupils and who range downward in competence for…

Discusses how self concept and its adaptations to academic success and failure are related to each other and to "cultural therapy." Analyzes research with a German agricultural community undergoing industrialization, and Menominee Indians adapting to majority culture using the Instrumental Activities Inventory (IAI). Extends the analysis…

Tested school-based intervention in the developmental domains of skills/knowledge, attitudes, orientations, and exploration/commitment for urban minority youth. Quantitative results indicated positive gains on multiple indices; qualitative assessment illustrated positive effects of intervention and the possible obstacles to intervention efficacy.…

This article discusses the school engagement literature and offers a conceptual framework with the intention of developing a common terminology to more efficiently organize research and practice. Three distinct perspectives are outlined in relation to school engagement: psychological, educational, and developmental. Four main contexts of…

Using network data from 40 groups, we examine the effect of social context on the gendering of power relations. By modeling reported data on power relations as the result of a stochastic response process that may be gendered, we examine how this gendering is related to group-level contextual factors. We find that much of what appears to be a…

The advance of online technology and instructional delivery such as Web-based learning (WBL) has heralded new changes in education. Students using the WBL environment in various courses at eight universities in Malaysia were surveyed. Results showed that five main factors influence the effectiveness of the online learning process: students'…

Collective teacher efficacy refers to teacher perceptions that they constitute an effective instructional team, capable of bringing about learning in students. Previous research demonstrates that a school staff with a strong sense of collective efficacy is likely to generate high student achievement. This study of 2,170 teachers in 141 elementary…

This report summarizes a qualitative study that examined girls in six middle schools representing a range of geographic locations and settings as well as the racial and ethnic mix found in schools across the United States. The schools were all involved in educational reform efforts. The report examines how girls negotiate middle school and gauges…

A study evaluated the effects of Strong Interest Inventory (SII) completion and participation in a theoretically based model of SII feedback/interpretation on the social cognitive career beliefs of 99 first-year students at a southwestern university. The Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale--Short Form (CDMSES-SF) measured each participant's…

The Instructional and Performance Technology Department at Boise State University (Idaho) offers a master's degree program via distance education to prepare adult students for careers in the areas of instructional design, job performance improvement, human resources, organizational redesign, training, and training management. Most students attend…

Televised portrayals of variables that are related to educational and occupational aspirations and educational motivation have the potential to influence viewers' attitudes, expectations, and behaviors in these domains. In order to test this premise, a study assessed messages about these variables and about drug use in the prime-time television…

This report describes an evaluation study of the Houston Annenberg Challenge, which was a school reform initiative designed to improve the quality of Houston's diverse urban schools by promoting an academically rich and purposeful education for all students. The study examined academic achievement, comparing Annenberg schools with other schools in…

This study sought to demonstrate that Michigan middle-grades schools can become more effective learning environments for young adolescents. A total of 224 Michigan schools participated in a teacher and administrator survey, 101 of which also conducted student surveys, reaching over 45,600 students in the fifth to ninth grades. Part 1, "Early…

This study examined factors that predict a general education teacher's efficacy beliefs for instructing students with learning and behavior problems and whether a teacher's perceived efficacy has a stronger direct effect on reported success than other variables. One hundred twenty-eight second grade teachers completed a survey instrument designed…