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In 1992 the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) surveyed administrators in member libraries regarding resource strategies of the previous three years. This paper summarizes revenue activities, adaptive tactics, and budgetary practices reported by 87 Canadian, U.S. private, and U.S. public university libraries and establishes a baseline for comparing these factors. The period from 1990 to 1992 has been a difficult one for ARL members, with the largest reductions in public support experienced by public university libraries. All respondents sought outside revenues to supplement their campus allocations. Virtually every responding library had experienced some form of internal restructuring, and three of every five had eliminated positions over the three-year survey period. Administrators valued flexibility in fund reallocation very highly, but few had much control over carrying unspent funds to the next year. While 88% of respondents expected the demand for services to grow, only 32% anticipated budget increases. Greater selectivity in activities and greater library sharing are likely to result from the economic realities. Three appendixes contain the survey summary results, the cover letter, and the questionnaire. (Contains 33 references.) (SLD)

This paper describes and critiques a 1989 employer/alumni study conducted by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) and four other state postsecondary institutions. The study was designed to: (1) develop a questionnaire to tap opinion about graduates' preparation and a method of administration that could be used by both 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education; (2) determine employers' priorities for the content of a college education for their employees and to compare those priorities by institutional type and occupational classification; and (3) determine employers' perceptions of graduates' preparation and skills and to compare these perceptions with those expressed by graduates themselves, as well as to analyze these perceptions by institutional type and occupational classification. The study method involved: (1) mailing alumni surveys to all 1987-88 academic year graduates; and (2) sending a letter to each employed graduate explaining the study's purpose and requesting permission to mail a questionnaire to his/her supervisor. Upon receiving permission, the employer questionnaire was sent to the supervisor with the graduate's signed permission statement. Results indicated that employers placed most value on oral and written communication skills, technical preparation, computing experience, and paid work experience in the field. College grade-point average was not related to employers' performance ratings. The critique notes, however, that the basic methodology has inherent problems with permission-granting rates for alumni low and employers' questionnaire responses highly positive, showing little variance. Telephone contact with alumni to obtain permission, coupled with interviews with employers who complete the mailed survey is recommended. Contains 34 references. (GLR)

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The SASS is a set of integrated self-administered surveys designed to obtain national information on all aspects of the school system. The Teacher Listing Form (TLF) is the first in the SASS series. It is sent to the principal early in the school year to list all teachers at the school. These results are used to select teachers from the school to participate in the SASS. In 1994, the Teacher List Validity Study uncovered some problems with the TLF. This document reports on cognitive research conducted to find out why respondents made the mistakes they did so that the TLF could be improved. A cognitive interview was held with one person from each of 19 sampled schools in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia (usually the principal). A combination of cognitive techniques, including think-aloud protocols, provided data. The interviews revealed that the TLF needed to be reorganized so that important conceptual information was not interrupted by unrelated information. Some instructions needed to be rearranged for clarity. Better definitions of what to include or exclude were required. Respondents had difficulty in reporting the subjects teachers were qualified to teach, so a decision rule was designed to help them choose a subject. Breaking the data into sections that correspond more closely to the real-world organization of schools is also recommended. An appendix contains the TLF. (Contains two tables.) (SLD)

This study examined the educational situation of prisoners enrolled in courses at the FernUniversitat (the German distance teaching university). A survey questionnaire, developed with the help of imprisoned students, was administered to approximately 200 student prisoners. Of the 99 returns, 95 were found usable to base the results of this study. Results included the following: (1) only half of the students had the formal educational qualifications usually required for studying at a German university. About half of the students enrolled for single courses, while the others were either full-time or part-time students of degree programs; (2) the most-cited motivations for studying were in order to make sense of the prison sentence and to improve the chances for getting a job after being released from prison. Some of the students noted preservation of health was cited as an important reason for beginning studies; (3) about half of the students did not get any financial support for their study, and most practical and emotional support came from parents, siblings, friends and teachers in the prison; (4) one third of the students had the opportunity to cooperate with other imprisoned students within the prison; (5) one third of the students had regular contacts with their tutors; (6) very few students were allowed to leave the prison for study purposes; (7) most were only moderately satisfied with their study, but about 75% thought that it helped make their prison time more endurable; and (8) many study problems were cited, partly due to the situation within the prison and partly due to regulations of the FernUniversitat that were perceived as reflecting lack of consideration for prisoners' special circumstances. Contains approximately 100 references. A copy of the survey instrument is appended. (Author)

A survey was undertaken in ten countries to assess several aspects of education in multicultural societies: the attitudes of elementary teachers in training concerning different cultural groups, attitudes about separation of cultural groups for teaching purposes, and the fit between teacher attitudes and the system's provisions. In addition, a questionnaire was developed to measure these factors. The questionnaire was administered in ten countries: Bolivia; Spain; Mauritius; Jordan; Lebanon; Mexico; Pakistan; Poland; Senegal; and the Czech Republic. Monographs have been published separately for each country; comparisons are reported here. The first section of the report presents a brief literature review, and the second describes the study's methodology, including difficulties encountered with it. The third part summarizes results concerning the schools' objectives, the teacher's role, teachers' reasons for choosing their career, and the solutions they envision for schooling problems. After this, findings concerning teaching facilities, attribution of causes for teaching problems, and awareness of cultural distance between groups are reported. The final section offers a summary and discussion of findings. Contains 37 references. (MSE)

Most academic libraries undertake the collection and reporting of statistical information on activity levels for many aspects of both technical and public services. Data on reference activity are used for a variety of purposes within the library, primarily to facilitate planning and improve delivery of reference services, and also externally, where they are used for broad inter-institutional comparisons which often have a direct impact on operations. The Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (CACUL) Task Force on Reference Statistics was established in October 1985 with a dual mandate: (1) to develop definitions, forms, and procedures, and to conduct a pilot study to establish a body of data on reference activities in Canadian academic libraries; and (2) to develop a means of measuring patron satisfaction with reference service. In 1990, the Working Group on Reference Statistics was formed to address the first part of the mandate. Questionnaires were developed and sent to academic libraries, the results of which led to the development of draft definitions and forms. A pilot project to test the efficacy and acceptability of definitions and forms was undertaken in March 1993. Responses were received from 10 universities (66.6%) and 15 colleges (93.8%). Results are discussed. Appendices include: a pretest questionnaire; a survey questionnaire; instructions; definitions; forms; and a questionnaire distributed after the test period. (SWC)

In March 1994, the Alberta Education Minister, Halvar Johnson, established five implementation teams to assist in restructuring education in the province. One of those teams focused on business involvement and technology integration, with information collected by a Technology Integration Advisory Committee. This committee, whose members are listed, reviewed current literature, distributed questionnaires to educators and administrators, and heard presentations from education partners. This document synthesizes that research, which addressed the questions of how technology can be used to improve student performance, what evidence exists to prove that technology has a positive impact on learning and teaching, and how can technology best be used to improve access to programs and overall productivity in the education system. The report identifies eight goals, for improving: (1) student learning; (2) teacher preparation and support; (3) curriculum and assessment; (4) learning resources; (5) access; (6) technological capabilities of classrooms; (7) community and business partnerships; and (8) planning and coordination. For each goal there are lists of desired outcomes ("We want Alberta to be a province where...") and recommendations. Also included are a call for response, a glossary, a list of questionnaire respondents and presenters, and a survey to the readership. (BEW)

This report examines issues related to whether child care services are operated on a non-profit or for-profit basis, focusing on the use of public funds and child care quality in Canada. The report also presents the results of a study of child care quality at 14 non-profit and 36 for-profit child care centers in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The study found that non-profit centers consistently offered child care that was superior to that offered by for-profit centers. However, the results also indicated that some non-profit centers exhibited poor quality care and some for-profit centers exhibited good care. The study also found that independent for-profit child care centers displayed a wider range of quality, had a higher proportion of staff between age 15 and 20, and were less likely to have clearly articulated procedures than chain for-profit child care centers. Seven appendixes provide a copy of the center survey and tables of analysis of variables (ANOVA) related to auspice, organizational structure, directors, and staff age, tenure, training, and remuneration. (Contains 36 references.) (MDM)

A survey of teacher trainees at the University of Southampton (England) investigated trainee knowledge level of English grammar and of language use around the world. Responses of English and modern language teacher trainees (n=19), non-language teacher trainees (n=35), and in some cases, undergraduates from the general student population (n=238) were compared. Questions elicited knowledge of language-related terms (e.g., "mother tongue, dialect, paraphrase"), grammatical forms (e.g., "passive verb, adjective, adverb, infinitive"), grammatical functions, (e.g., "subject, predicate, direct object"), spelling, pronunciation, plurality, English in comparison with other languages, language names and distribution, and language interrelationships. Attitudes about accent, dialect, and standard usage were also explored, and information on where/how the students had received their linguistic knowledge was requested. Results are summarized here. It is concluded that overall, for teachers preparing for a multilingual society about to enter a much closer association with continental Europe, greater linguistic knowledge is needed and should be included in preservice teacher education. The questionnaire is appended. (MSE)

Two studies were conducted at the Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) to determine possible uses of errors and omissions on surveys of incoming and freshmen college students. The subjects of the first study were 1,927 individuals who had applied for admission to SLU and attended freshman orientation in the summer of 1989. Blanks and incorrect responses to a survey were taken as an independent variable, GOOF. A t-test found that the mean GOOF score of the respondents who enrolled that semester was significantly lower than the mean GOOF score of respondents who did not enroll. The second study involved a random sample of 1,540 new freshmen attending SLU in the fall of 1989. Two independent variables were the GOOF variable and one called RESPDNT for those subjects who did not return a mailed survey. Dependent variables were subsequent academic performance and fall-to-fall retention. Results indicated that for enrolled students the GOOF variable may not be an important one, but failure to respond (RESPDNT) to a survey may have meaning in terms of academic performance and retention. Included are appended instructions for creating the GOOF variable and six references. (JB)

Three techniques for surveying alumni and alumni's employers were utilized over the space of 3 academic years, for the purpose of comparing these methodologies. In the first study, alumni of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville were asked to complete a mailed questionnaire, then were encouraged through a follow-up mailing to grant permission for their employers to be contacted. In the second year, the alumni were asked for their permission for employer contact on the initial survey instrument, and in the third year, alumni were contacted by phone for this permission after they had returned their own questionnaires. Employers were surveyed through the mails in every case, but their instrument was revised in the third year to replace a Likert scale for item responses with a forced-choice format. Comparison of response rates indicates that gaining permission for employer contact directly on a questionnaire mailed to alumni is just as effective as phone contacts. The results also suggest that employers answer Likert items with a response set unless forced to do otherwise. The study concludes that a mailed survey methodology for alumni and their employers can be effective if the graduates's permission is obtained on the initial questionnaire and if employers are forced by the survey instrument's format to differentiate among listed job characteristics and performance ratings. Included are 14 references. (Author/JB)

Originating from a concern with the quality of teachers' guides that accompanying English language course books, this report examines the amount of importance they are accorded and the type of information they contain. The first section discusses the demands that the guides' assumptions make on the teacher in terms of the teacher's knowledge, the teacher-learner relationship, teaching techniques, and classroom management. In the second section the focus is on the practical support that teachers require in order to be able to handle communicative materials and on ways in which that support might be supplemented. The third section analyzes the results of a questionnaire that was distributed to practicing English language teachers in a number of countries. Finally, the fourth section presents a framework of basic features that teachers' guides could contain and briefly examines examples of guides written for current English language teaching materials. The framework of basic features includes the following: attitude to language; attitude to language learning and teaching; background information; linguistic information; rationale for methodology; implementation; evaluation; usability; supplementary work; and practical effort. A questionnaire on the use of teachers' guides to English language coursebooks is appended. Contains 50 references. (LB)

This occasional paper is intended to disseminate information from the project, Monitoring the Future. Each year since 1975, about 17,000 seniors have participated in the survey, which is conducted in some 130 high schools nationwide. In addition, subsamples of seniors from previously participating classes receive follow-up questionnaires by mail each year. Information from the follow-up studies is examined in this monograph. The information concerns changes in drug use during the first 10 years after high school, and specifically focuses on the ways in which social roles and experiences in post-high school years relate to the use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Chapter one is an introduction, and chapter two provides a description of the sample in terms of roles and experiences of each group at intervals post- high school. Chapters three, four, five, and six are devoted to types of drug use. Chapter seven summarizes the impacts of post-high school roles and experiences on drug use. Some general conclusions from the analyses include: (1) among full-time college students there is a larger than average increase in alcohol use; (2) being married is associated with reduction in use of alcohol; and (3) military service is associated with increased use of cigarettes and alcohol. (Contains 81 references and 26 tables) (JDM)

This study used available data to develop an initial profile of non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty in comparison to their non-tenured but tenure track (TT) counterparts and to develop questions to guide future study of this group. Using data from a 1989 survey of the professorate conducted by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the study analyzed the responses of 832 untenured but tenure-track faculty and 183 non-tenure-track faculty all teaching full-time at four-year colleges. Findings suggest that academic life without tenure is characterized by stress and uncertainty for both groups. NTT professors were generally older, less mobile professionally and employed at primarily teaching-oriented institutions. NTT faculty were less actively involved in scholarship though many attempted to maintain a research agenda. Women comprised a larger proportion of the NTT group; the interrupted career patterns common among women and other factors may account for this difference. NTT faculty also expressed less optimism about their prospects for future career advancement in higher education. Includes 7 tables and 15 references. (JB)

Conducting observational research in a cross-cultural context invokes a unique set of difficulties. This paper describes sources of bias and threats to validity that are specific to cross-cultural research. It describes problems of cross-cultural research designs for descriptive studies, comparative research, and experimental research and outlines techniques for dealing with problems. (Contains 12 references.) (LMI)

Four different college classes at a midwestern university were surveyed in both their freshman and their senior years, with data collected from 2,069 students (a 72% response rate). A student involvement questionnaire (IQ) was used to demonstrate the merit of studying student involvement in a value-added outcomes assessment program by defining components of involvement and investigating change from the freshman to the senior year. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed on factors of academic involvement, social involvement, and goal commitment and satisfaction to determine whether significant change from the freshman to the senior year occurred, controlling for students' personal characteristics. Increases in involvement were found in extracurricular activities, satisfaction and commitment, academic contacts with faculty, and academic activities. Decreases in involvement were found in social peer activities. Using student involvement as a value-added outcome in educational assessment is discussed. Contains 39 references. (GLR)

The aims of this working paper were to investigate whether taking part in out of school activities during primary school is linked with end of primary school attainment and social, emotional and behavioural outcomes, for all children and specifically for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The analysis is based on the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) survey data linked to administrative data holding the cohort children's Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2) attainment scores. In addition to looking at KS2 attainment (total point score, English and maths) we also investigated social, emotional and behavioural outcomes using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) total difficulties and prosocial skills scores. The results presented in this paper are based on logistic and multiple linear regression analysis. Results showed that sports clubs and "other" (unspecified) club participation was positively associated with attainment outcomes at age 11, when controlling for prior attainment. Participating in organised sports or physical activity was also positively linked to social, emotional and behavioural outcomes. Among disadvantaged children, after school club emerged as the only organised activity linked to child outcomes; participation was linked to both higher KS2 attainment and prosocial skills. The implications of these findings for further research, policy and practice are discussed. Appended to the report are: (1) KS2 Attainment regression tables; and (2) SDQ outcomes regression tables. A bibliography is included.

This report presents the results of a survey of both elementary and secondary level teachers in French-language schools in Ontario which was conducted to determine the usage of educational television in these schools. The 630 responses to the questionnaire yielded information on: (1) educational television usage, both live broadcast and videotaped recordings; (2) the availability of electronic equipment such as television sets and videotape recorders; (3) regional use of live television; (4) access to videocassettes produced or distributed by La Chaine; (5) sources of videocassettes other than those of La Chaine; (6) the primary function of educational television; (7) the relevancy of La Chaine broadcasts; (8) teacher planning processes; (9) teacher training needs; and (10) computer usage. It was concluded that educational television in general--and La Chaine in particular--are used widely and with great success because of the quality of the programs and the efficiency of the medium as an instructional tool in schools. Appendices include a copy of the questionnaire sent to teachers; a discussion of decisions made based on responses to the questionnaires; breakdowns of responses by gender, region, and elementary/secondary level; and a list of television series used at the elementary level together with the percentage of respondents who used the particular series. A summary of the findings in English is included. (DB)

This study of the effectiveness of electronic blackboards in three introductory sociology classes at the University of Regina tested the hypothesis that this microcomputer-based presentational technology would have a negative impact on faculty productivity due to the increased amount of preparation time, and a positive impact on the quality of learning. Computer-prepared illustrated lectures were presented to two test classes, while a control class received the same material without the illustrations. Evaluation questionnaires using a five-point scale were administered prior to and after the experiment to all three classes. In addition, an in-class observer monitored all three classes, and all three were videotaped for review by a faculty panel. Follow-up interviews were conducted in both test classes. It was found that the electronic blackboard method was not successful because: (1) it took faculty five times longer to prepare an illustrated lecture than a normal one; (2) the electronic presentation interfered with normal patterns of classroom interaction; (3) students were dissatisfied with the electronic blackboard; (4) the electronic blackboard forced students to concentrate on two different sources of information simultaneously, resulting in a negation of any benefits gained by superior organization and visual imagery; and (5) rural and low income students may have been negatively affected. It is concluded that, given the current state of the technology, the electronic blackboard is not effective under the conditions tested. Copies of the study consent form and the pre-experiment, control group, and test group questionnaires are appended. (5 references) (DB)

Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs) have advanced and matured, a number of states and localities have undertaken evaluations to validate the systems. Such efforts stem from the desire to ensure that the system is designed and operating in the ways envisioned when the system was established. Given that a central component in a QRIS is the rating system, a key concern is whether the rating process, including the use of particular measures and the manner in which they are combined and cut scores are applied, produces accurate and understandable ratings that capture meaningful differences in program quality across rating levels. The aim of this paper is to review the set of studies that seek to validate QRIS rating systems in one of several ways: by examining the relationship between program ratings and objective measures of program quality; by determining if program ratings increase over time; and by estimating the relationship between program ratings and child developmental outcomes. Specifically, we review 14 such validation studies that address one or more of these three questions. Together, these 14 studies cover 12 QRISs in 11 states or substate areas: Colorado, Florida (two counties), Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. In reviewing the literature, we are interested in the methods and measures they employ, as well as the empirical results. To date, most validation studies have found that programs with higher ratings had higher environment rating scores (ERSs), but the ERS is often one of the rating elements. Independent measures of quality have not always shown the expected positive relationship with quality. The handful of studies that have examined how ratings change over time have generally shown that programs participating in the QRIS did improve their quality or quality ratings. Studies that examine the relationship between QRIS ratings and child development are the most challenging to implement and can be costly to conduct when independent child assessments are performed. Consequently, there has been considerable variation in methods to date across these studies. Among the four studies with the stronger designs, two found the expected relationship between QRIS ratings and child developmental gains. The lack of robust findings across these studies indicate that QRISs, as currently configured, do not necessarily capture differences in program quality that are predictive of gains in key developmental domains. Based on these findings, the paper discusses the opportunities for future QRIS validation studies, including those conducted as part of the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grants, to advance the methods used and contribute not only to improvement of the QRIS in any given state, but also to add to the knowledge base about effective systems more generally. [This report was prepared for the Delaware Office of Early Learning.]