Examines the historical development of work-study programs from the early days of communist government to current practices in China. Traditional Chinese culture separated mental and manual labor according to Confucian edicts. After a slow start, work-study was integrated into the national curriculum in the late 1950s. (MJP)

Presents the results of a study that asked primary school teacher trainees to rate their best and worst musical experiences. Provides detailed descriptions of those responses that identified school instruction as their worst experience. Considers the implications of this for future research and music instruction. (MJP)

Outlines 15 suggestions for preplanning and implementing choir tours. Briefly discusses; booking and travel agencies, options for financing, establishing educational objectives, parental permission forms, chaperons, housing, and performance apparel. Recommends planning a tour at least a year in advance. (MJP)

Two urban Australian nursing students' stories of their experiences in clinical placements in rural and Aboriginal communities indicate their interest in and enthusiasm for returning to rural nursing after graduation. Unfortunately, many urban students are disadvantaged financially by the added expense of their rural clinical rotation. Assisting…

A study of 1,789 female and 1,870 male students at college entry and exit compared self-ratings of abilities, social and political views, and goals and aspirations. Results show gender a contributing factor in all three areas. Gender differences in student attitudes were evident at both college entry and four years later. (MSE)

Reviews Kentucky's efforts to increase family and community involvement in its public school reform. These efforts include a new structure for the traditional elementary school; Family Resource Centers; and school-based decision making. Also shares some parents' perspectives on how these changes are shaping their children's school experiences. (BB)

Reviews the restructuring of the Chicago (Illinois) Public Schools. Key choices made about restructuring over 10 years are discussed, and 18 key elements for improvement are identified. It is argued that the reform is on the right track, with potential for substantial impact. (SLD)

Two college courses, one in literary analysis and one designed to help students apply prior learning, were redesigned to incorporate time for students to tell the class about their own learning experiences. It was found that the narratives enriched faculty and students' understanding and awareness. (MSE)

A Soviet journalist interviews Dmitrii Kabalevskii, a renowned Soviet composer and educator concerning Kabalevskii's efforts to introduce a new music curriculum during the 1970s. Kabalevskii stresses building on students' experiences with music and encouraging creativity rather than formalistic training. Recounts the struggle against governmental…

How students' ethnicity perceptions affect the educational process is ethnographically studied through interviews of about 50 students attending a multiethnic high school in a California city. Ethnicity's relevance varies depending on social situations and students' interpretations of events. Denial of one's ethnic identity centers around…

Examines teaching methods in elementary social studies classrooms. Interviews fifth and sixth grade students regarding their perceptions of social studies. Finds instruction relies heavily on textbooks. Shows half of the students dislike social studies. Includes students' verbatim comments. Designs teaching approaches based on students' preference…

A survey of 117 freshman and 113 junior women investigated their perceptions of the personal adjustment issues they faced and the solutions they arrived at during their experience at a university. Four areas of adjustment are discussed: underestimation of financial expenses; unfamiliar teaching techniques; large classes; and disillusionment with…

Changes in America's undergraduate students (cultural diversity, age, expectations of college and career, psychological and social background, patterns of socializing) add up to the demise of traditional residential college life. Colleges can address these shifts by focusing their efforts, using all available opportunities to educate student,…

This study compared the effects of an extended, systematic on-campus laboratory experience with a similarly extensive, systematic field-based experience for preservice teachers. Results suggested that laboratory teachers, but not field experience teachers, improved their ability to reflect on teaching and facilitate desired instruction. Results…

Discusses the transformation occurring in higher education as well as keys to enhancing learning and personal development. Suggests that student affairs redesign its work by promoting an increased capacity for learning and self-reflection in order to redefine student learning and personal development as the primary goals for undergraduate…