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This paper reports findings of a study examining child-, classroom-, and school-level factors that effect academic achievement among public school children in the South. Using ECLS-K data, we compare and contrast the learning environments in high/low minority and high/low poverty schools. A sizeable minority of Southern children attend schools that are race and/or class segregated; on multiple dimensions these schools are less desirable than are schools attended by more privileged children, and children attending these schools have lower levels of academic achievement. Results from 3-level random intercepts models show that a range of child and family factors, as well as classrooms with less experienced teachers and with more low-level readers, and rural school location all contribute to lower reading gains during first grade. We find no "race effects" on achievement, net of other variables. Issues of "selection" are discussed, and implications for social work are explored.

This paper presents a summary of some key findings from a UNESCO survey undertaken to assess the scale and reach of media education throughout the world. In June 2001, a questionnaire was sent to 72 experts on media education in 52 countries worldwide. These individuals, who included academics, policymakers and educational advisers, had been identified by means of a review of existing print and Web-based contact lists. By mid-October 2001, 45 replies had been received from a total of 38 countries, representing approximately a two-thirds rate of return by country. In addition, the authors undertook an extensive review of print and Web-based materials relating to media education. The questionnaire addressed three key areas: media education in schools (the extent, aims and conceptual basis of current provision; the nature of assessment; and the role of production by students); partnerships (the involvement of media industries and media regulators in media education; the role of informal youth groups; the provision of teacher education); and the development of media education (research and evaluation of media education provision; the main needs of educators; obstacles to future development; and the potential contribution of UNESCO). On the basis of the analysis, this paper begins by offering some very broad generalizations about the overall state of development of media education. This is followed by a discussion of some of the more specific issues addressed in the questionnaire survey, and by a summary of the respondents' recommendations for future action in the field. (Contains 40 references.) (AEF)

In today's higher education arena, a strong emphasis has been placed on institutional accountability and utilization of resources. Considering that individual accountability is an important aspect of institutional leadership and management, higher education has directed little effort to administrative evaluations and climate surveys. The purpose, procedures, and methods for evaluating the performance of administrators or their unit are either in the development stage or inconsistently administered with limited reporting of results or steps for improvement. The success of administrative evaluation efforts depends on identifying the purpose, developing appropriate tools, and providing feedback for improvements. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/SLD)

Human resources are recognised as being key to the creation, commercialisation and diffusion of innovation. Among them, doctorate holders are not only the most qualified in terms of educational attainment, but also those who are specifically trained to conduct research. Not much is known however about their career and mobility patterns on the labour market. This is why the OECD launched in 2004 a collaborative project with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and Eurostat aimed at developing internationally comparable indicators on the careers and mobility of doctorate holders. An expert group with representatives from national statistical bodies was formed to develop the technical components of the project and start compiling data at national level. This document presents the three main technical components of the project which are: (1) the methodological guidelines; (2) a core model questionnaire and instruction manual; and (3) the output indicator tables used for reporting data at the international level. The current draft was discussed by the OECD Working Party of National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators (NESTI) in June 2007 and approved for broader diffusion. Its aim is to provide guidance to countries that wish to implement the project at national level. It is planned to work on a new and improved version following the outcomes of the data collection launched in November 2007. (Contains 7 footnotes and 32 tables.)

Using the qualitative research method known as folknography, the authors led a research team to the heart of Illinois farm country to ask the question "What are the perceptions of the people of the Midwest concerning math and math education?" A review of the literature includes Canadian and Australian references on the topic, as well as information from the United States, and the targeted geography and population is described. Research followed the pattern of a similar study conducted in Appalachia in 2004. A preliminary survey was planned to gather benchmarking statistical data and to open respondents up to the possibilities of a folknographic interview. Folknographers entered the field in May 2006 to perform focused and intensive field research. Findings include: (1) belief that young people can not perform simple math; (2) perception that too much technology has a significant and negative impact on developing minds of students; (3) connection between acquiring math knowledge and achieving a dynamic career; (4) recollections of tyrannical or cruel math teachers; (5) desire for a school or school system that makes learning math an exciting and motivating experience. Folknographic narratives are included to illustrate each finding. Bibliography is included. Four appendixes conclude the document: (1) Perceptions of Math in the Mid-West Interview Questions: Adults (18-55); (2) Perceptions of Math in the Mid-West Interview Questions: Seniors (55-Over); (3) Perceptions of Math in the Mid-West Interview Questions: Youth (Ages 10-17); and (4) Perceptions of Math Survey Mid-West. (Contains 4 charts.)

Information from the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) indicates that training within New Apprenticeships is more flexible than traditional apprenticeships and traineeships. The ability of employers and employees to select a training provider of their choice, providing that it is registered in their state or territory, is known as "User Choice." Results of a survey undertaken by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in 2001 indicated very high levels of support for User Choice, but also indicated that User Choice was not always meeting expectations. As a result of the survey, ACCI developed proposals designed to strengthen User Choice. The project reported in this paper investigated these proposals with two main aims: (2) To explore the gap between the User Choice arrangements proposed by ACCI and User Choice as it is currently practiced; and (2) To seek the views of the States and Territories about ACCI's proposals, including any potential issues or problems that might arise in implementing them. (Contains 5 tables.)

This study examined the relationships among the roles of college deans and conflict and ambiguity in deans' work. Challenges deans perceived as imminent in the future were also studied. The sample included 1,370 deans from 360 universities. They were asked about their roles, conflicts and ambiguities they faced, and possible challenges for the future. The responses show that deans are inevitably confronted with situations that require them to engage in roles that conflict with priorities that remain unfocused. They tended to identify challenges for the future as parallel to their current roles, suggesting that conflict and ambiguity will carry forward. The deanship as it exists today is enigmatic, and a major question centers on whether to fix the deans or the deanship. Professional development and training in time management may "fix the dean," but larger issues remain with colleges and universities that suggest that it may be time to fix the deanship through institutional responses that define priorities clearly. Shared leadership is a possible approach that may relieve some of the time pressures on academic deans. (Contains 5 tables and 41 references.) (SLD)

This study examined the attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of faculty and students about the use of nontraditional pedagogies such as active learning, collaborative/cooperative learning, and the encouragement of student participation and involvement in the learning experience. The data came from two surveys of faculty (n=136) and students (n=676) conducted through the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement at seven institutions during the winter and fall of 2000. The result reveal that both groups agree on the value and desirability of direct involvement in learning, academic collaboration with student peers, and productive, constructive student/faculty relationships. There are substantial, statistically significant differences, however, between how frequently they believe these practices are actually enacted in the classroom. Possible explanations and implications are discussed. (Contains 7 tables and 33 references.) (Author/SLD)

A school locale code defines show a school is situated in a particular location in terms of the size of the community in which it is located and the proximity of that community to urban and metropolitan areas. School locale codes are part of the general information reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the Common Core of Data (CCD) Public School Universe file. This paper includes information on the history of locale codes; the definitions of codes and how they have changed since the original codes were developed; the original methodology for assigning school locale codes, metro status codes, and district-level locale codes; and the changes that have taken place in the methodologies. It is intended as a resource for those who use local code statistics from multiple years of the NCES CCD files. Locale codes were first used in the school year 1987-1988 data collection, but their definitions have changed over the years, and will continue to change as the need arises. (SLD)

This study reports on a multi-faceted assessment effort for diversity underway at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The four major elements of this project include: (1) archival research of the institution's history of segregation and desegregation; (2) a report on the status of women and minority faculty, staff, and students; (3) climate surveys of faculty, staff, and students; and (4) interviews with various constituents and benchmarking visits to other institutions. This paper focuses on the survey of faculty's assessment of the campus climate for diversity. The survey questionnaire, which was mailed to all 2,648 faculty members both on and off campus, included questions on professional treatment and social acceptance in the department, institutional climate, attitudes about affirmative action, level of commitment evidenced by institutional leaders, and personal experiences with discrimination and harassment. The response rate was 50 percent. The survey strongly suggests that experiences and perceptions of non-majority faculty differ in significant ways from those of majority faculty and that majority faculty are generally unaware of the extent of these differences. Both women and faculty of color expressed concern about the institutional commitment to creating a diverse faculty. The survey questionnaire is appended. (Contains 15 references.) (RH)

Civic involvement is a powerful opportunity in which young citizens can be more engaged in society. It provides young citizens with various opportunities to see themselves as contributing members to the community-at-large. Civic involvement enhances citizenship and civic engagement, allowing young citizens to develop a sense of community as an extension of their identities. Being engaged in civic society is an ideal goal for every citizen. The difficulty arises when maturing youths have little or no viable examples of civic and political participation. When a parent or caregiver is not fully engaged in traditional civic systems of society, their children will not be as well. Thus, youth organizations and mentoring programs become additional critical resources to ensuring a generation is fully engaged in all aspects of society. Civic engagement is not something that automatically occurs upon one's transition to adulthood. On the contrary, civic engagement is a developmental process that includes cognitive, affective and behavioral benchmarks. The origins of these benchmarks can be found in the various communities of practice. Civic participation provides individuals with civic skills that can be transferred to all areas of life. However, by adulthood, many individuals have little or no background in civic or political participation. In order to alter this disparaging fact, social systems must increase opportunities for youth and their families to be involved with service opportunities. Early exposure to service ensures that developing citizens are more likely to be active in the political process, take interests in the equal distribution of community resources, and find themselves more inclined to mobilize fellow citizens for a cause. In essence, civic engagement is more than a high level of altruism, buttressed by positive self-esteem, strong self-concept, and high self efficacy. This document focuses on the civic views of young adult minorities and how kinship communities and youth mentoring programs can work together to promote sustained civic engagement.

Recently published surveys conducted by the Sloan Consortium show widespread support among academic leaders for the notion that learning outcomes from online higher education degree programs are equal to or exceed those of residential programs, and that those learning outcomes are expected to continue to improve relative to their fixed facility counterparts. Anecdotally, Internet educators already believed this to be the case, even though the Internet is a relative newcomer to the world of higher education. The surveys, however, demonstrate that the incrementally increasing knowledge in the use and deployment of distance education technologies have made a difference in the student experience. Despite the fact that research in this area is ongoing, the major contributors to this improvement in student outcomes have already been largely identified and provide guidance to those who choose to deliver Internet education. Those major contributors include: (1) shift from institutions of instruction to institutions of learning; (2) building of the online community; (3) training of faculty teaching online; and (4) emphasis on orienting new students.

This study examines whether there are differences in men's and women's use of computers and the Internet in the United States and Japan and how any such gender gaps have changed over time. The authors focus on these two countries because information technology is widely used in both, but there are substantial differences in institutions and social organizations. They use microdata from several surveys during the 1997-2001 period to examine differences and trends in computer and Internet usage in the two countries. Their results indicate that there were significant gender differences in computer and Internet usage in both countries during the mid-1990s. By 2001, these gender differences had disappeared or were even reversed in the United States but remained in Japan. People not currently working have lower levels of IT use and skills in both countries regardless of gender, but working women in Japan have lower levels of IT use and skills than working men, a difference that generally does not occur in the United States. This finding suggests that employment status per se does not play a large role in the gender gap in Japan, but type of employment does. The prevalence of nonstandard employment among female workers in Japan accounts for much of the gender gap in IT use and skills in that country. (Contains 11 footnotes and 6 tables.)

Noting that high achieving Indiana high school students can provide important insights into the educational system in the state, this study examined the opinions of recipients of Ameritchieve recognition, National Merit finalists, African-American students who were National Achievement finalists, and national Hispanic Scholar finalists, all from within a 75-mile radius of Indianapolis. A survey regarding educational priorities in Indiana was sent to 224 central Indiana honorees. A total of 75 surveys were returned for a response rate of 33 percent. Key findings indicated that high achievers credited good teachers as the most important factor in the success they have enjoyed. They also identified poor teachers as the key detractor in quality education. Further, they listed"attracting and retaining future teachers" as the first option they would recommend for policymakers concerned with educational quality. Only half the students had ever considered becoming a teacher, and only 3 of the 75 identified teaching as a specific career goal. Reasons identified for teacher shortages included the need for better pay and more benefits, more freedom from the stress of regulations and standards, and more respect and prestige. Other significant factors in the students' success were the high educational levels of their parents and their exposure to academic programs for gifted students. Of the 39 students who had made a decision about which college they would attend, 46 percent selected colleges or universities outside Indiana. (Appended is a list of the Ameritchieve committee members.) (KB)

This paper will review several important constructs in the area of social and emotional development of children in grades 2-5. The importance of social and emotional development has become increasingly evident in light of new research on the brain and the development of programs to prevent social and behavioral disorders in youth. This review will draw upon aspects of several different literatures--children's social and emotional development, developmental psychopathology, resilience, and children's motivation for learning. Its purpose is to place in context a recommendation for a measure of socio-emotional development to be used with 8-10 year olds. Following this brief review, the authors will describe several direct measures that address the areas identified in the review.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a large international comparative study of the reading literacy of young students. The student population for the U.S. 2001 PIRLS (hereafter simply referred to as PIRLS) was the set of all fourth-graders in the United States, corresponding to the grade in which the highest proportion of nine-year-olds are enrolled. The PIRLS school sample consisted of 200 schools (150 public and 50 private) containing a fourth grade, selected with probability proportionate to the school'?s enrollment of fourth-graders. One classroom was sampled from each selected school. PIRLS was conducted in April and May 2001. For the original sample, the unweighted response rate at the school level was 62.5 percent, with 125 out of 200 schools responding. Through the use of replacements, the unweighted response rate was improved to 87 percent, with 174 out of 200 schools responding. However, as the response rate from the original sample was below 85 percent, NCES requested that Westat investigate the potential magnitude of nonresponse bias at the school level. The methodology and results of this investigation are described herein.

This study provides updated information about states' kinship care policies for children in foster care based on a survey conducted in 1999. Almost all states give preference to and seek out kin when placing a child in foster care. However, states vary in the way that they assess and support kinship care. Most states assess kin differently than nonkin foster parents. Some kin receive foster care payments while others are supported with lesser payments. The paper also analyzes the impacts of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) final rule on kinship care and discusses the challenge of creating kinship care policies that ensure child safety and address the unique needs of kin. The ASFA requires that a state's kinship care standards be the same as its nonkinship foster care licensing requirements, but it does not require that policies be uniform across the states. (Contains 4 figures, 6 tables, and 43 references.) (SLD)

We assess the predictive power of two measures of competitiveness for education and labor market outcomes using a large, representative survey panel. The first is incentivized and is an online adaptation of the laboratory-based Niederle-Vesterlund measure. The second is an unincentivized survey question eliciting general competitiveness on an 11-point scale. Both measures are strong and consistent predictors of income, occupation, completed level of education and field of study. The predictive power of the new unincentivized measure for these outcomes is robust to controlling for other traits, including risk attitudes, confidence and the Big Five personality traits. For most outcomes, the predictive power of competitiveness exceeds that of the other traits. Gender differences in competitiveness can explain 5-10 percent of the observed gender differences in education and labor market outcomes.

Principles for college outcomes assessment, as outlined in the literature, are reviewed. Drawing on the experience of the Virginia State Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) during a decade of state-mandated outcomes assessment, a number of salient issues are identified. Faculty and academic issues include these: faculty resistance to assessment and accountability; relationship of faculty development to assessment; maintaining continuity year-to-year; and continuous assessment and resulting curricular adjustment in academic units. Administrative considerations concern: data dissemination; financial support for assessment activities; curriculum changes resulting from frequent assessment; student involvement in learning; placement testing; evaluating success in introductory courses; qualifications of assessment personnel; and cooperation between assessment, institutional research, and planning. One additional issue is that at the state and national levels there appears to be a trend toward standardization of testing and opinion surveys. The paper foresees such trends as: statewide student testing; increased use of numerical indicators; common satisfaction questions such as those in alumni surveys; use of peer studies; increased sophistication of disciplinary accreditation bodies; close scrutiny of innovations; and increased pressure for assessment from the business sector. (MSE)

Personality characteristics shape human behaviour and influence a wide range of life events and outcomes. They do so not only through their direct effects on life outcomes, but also through their indirect effects on other important personal factors and intermediate life events, such as the development of cognitive capacities, the attainment of educational qualifications and the formation of a family. As such, personality characteristics have a demonstrable relevance for a wide range of policy issues and represent an important, although often neglected, subject of policy interest. This paper reviews the scientific literature covering a wide range of personality characteristics, discussing their conceptualisations and main features, their relevance for important outcomes in life and work, and the chief ways they are measured. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of various attributes of personality from the perspective of their potential importance for the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), taking into account their analytical potential and policy relevance. The paper also outlines and evaluates the most important measurement instruments for each personality characteristic, with a focus on short self-report scales as the most appropriate form for inclusion in large-scale international surveys. Finally, it presents some considerations related to the evaluation and promotion of personality characteristics and introduces the substantive and measurement criteria that could be used to select the personality attributes, and related measurement scales, to include in large-scale surveys. Selected Personality Scales are appended.

This report documents the design, development, and psychometric characteristics of the assessment instruments used in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). The ECLS-K is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. The ECLS-K was designed to assess the relationship between a child's academic and social development and a wide range of family, school, and community variables. While the ECLS-K will ultimately span kindergarten through fifth grade, this report documents the psychometric results for four time points--fall- and spring-kindergarten and fall- and spring-first grade. Three domains are represented by the ECLS-K kindergarten and first grade (K-1) assessment instruments: cognitive (direct and indirect), socioemotional, and psychomotor. Direct cognitive measures refer to scores based on children's "direct" responses to cognitive test items. In kindergarten and first grade, direct cognitive tests were administered in reading, mathematics, and general knowledge. Indirect cognitive measures were ratings by teachers of the children's cognitive performance in closely related areas: language and literacy, mathematical thinking, and general knowledge. Following an introduction in chapter 1, chapter 2 of this report describes the objectives and design of the assessment instruments. For the cognitive tests, this includes selection of content domains, and for the direct cognitive tests, the rationale for individually administered adaptive tests, the source, and development of frameworks. Chapter 3 describes the development and field testing of the item pools for the direct cognitive measures, the selection of test items for the final forms, and the creation of a Spanish-language version of the mathematics assessment. It also introduces the criterion-referenced subsets of items selected for the reading and mathematics tests. Chapter 4 contains an overview of the Item Response Theory (IRT) procedures used to scale the test scores. Chapter 5 presents the psychometric characteristics of the direct cognitive tests given in kindergarten and first grade. Chapter 6 describes the development and psychometric characteristics of the indirect and psychomotor measures and discusses the relationship between the direct and indirect measures of the cognitive domains. Chapter 7 describes performance on the Oral Language Development Scale (OLDS), the instrument used to evaluate children's fluency in English and Spanish. Chapter 8 presents issues in analyzing longitudinal measures of cognitive skills. [The following authors contributed to this report: Sally Atkins-Burnett, Tom Hoffer, Samuel J. Meisels, Karen Tourangeau, Jerry West, and Elvira Germino Hausken.]

This article examines whether there are differences in men's and women's use of the Internet and whether any such gender gaps have changed in recent years. The authors use data from several surveys during the period 1997 to 2001 to show trends in Internet usage and to estimate regression models of Internet usage that control for individuals' socioeconomic characteristics. They find that women were significantly less likely than men to use the Internet at all in the mid-1990s, but the gender gap in usage disappeared by 2000. However, women continue to be less frequent and less intense users of the Internet. The results suggest that there is little reason for concern about sex inequalities in Internet access and usage now, but gender differences in frequency and intensity of Internet usage remain. (Contains 7 footnotes and 2 tables.)

The authors examine racial and ethnic differences in computer ownership and Internet usage using data from a survey conducted by the Nomura Research Institute in 2000. They focus on on-line shopping because few studies have examined racial and ethnic differences in e-commerce. The results indicate that blacks and Hispanics are less likely to own or use a computer than are non-Hispanic whites but are not less likely to shop on-line. Indeed, blacks appear to shop on-line more frequently and to spend more than non-Hispanic whites do. (Determinants of Computer Ownership and Usage in August 2000 CPS; and Descriptive Statistics for Socioeconomic Characteristics in Nomura Data Set are appended. Contains 2 footnotes and 6 tables.)

Patterns of attrition at a midwestern research university were examined through telephone interviews of 622 students who had left the institution prematurely and through analysis of institutional data to compare school leavers with those who stayed. This comparison found that school leavers were more likely to have lower college admission test scores, be Hispanic (but less likely to be African American), and more likely to have an educational loan. Reasons given by students for leaving the university were diverse, and included (in order of frequency mentioned): family or personal problems, financial difficulties, felt faculty didn't care about students, unable to get needed academic advice, believed that program in preferred academic area was poor, and felt that classes were poorly taught. Results suggest that student/institutional mismatch is a major reason for students leaving. The following recommendations are offered: (1) establish an early alert system; (2) fully utilize the campus learning center; (3) enhance financial resources and strengthen financial advising; and (4) strengthen professional and peer advising efforts. Five tables detail the study's findings. (Contains 16 references.) (DB)

This longitudinal multi-method study assessed changes in institutional autonomy at 30 community colleges in one state. Six years after legislated changes intended to increase autonomy and create a uniform fiscal operation system had been implemented, the study found that changes in autonomy in selected fiscal, personnel, and operational matters were inconsistent and incomplete. Investigators concluded that as the resource dependency theory suggests, connections between state-legislated changes and real change at the local level are complicated and slow to develop. The paper reviews the conceptual framework; discusses related institutional characteristics, contextual variables, and political strategies; and lists the measures of fiscal, personnel, and operational autonomy used. The data were based on questionnaires completed for two unpublished institutional autonomy surveys, the first conducted in 1988 just prior to the legislated changes, and the second in 1995; the response rate for both surveys was 100 percent. Tables list the autonomy measures and some survey data. (Contains 33 references.) (CH)

This paper addresses the potential of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to measure education reforms in the United States through Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). How the SASS can measure reform, the type of reform it should assess, and the elements of school reform that would best serve the needs of state and federal policymakers are considered. The first section of this paper describes school reform, suggests why it is important to measure it, and describes the challenges and appropriateness of using the SASS to measure its progress and effects. Section II describes eight reform elements that are proposed as a framework for examining reforms that are important to measure. These are: (1) governance and organizational infrastructure; (2) classroom instructional practices; (3) professional development of teachers; (4) programs and educational services for varied populations; (5) family and community partnerships; (6) finances and human resources development; (7) educational productivity; and (8) technology. Section III examines the extent to which the SASS and other large-scale surveys already measure reform, and section IV summarizes the analysis and recommends better ways for the SASS to collect data to provide a national window on reform. Appendixes A and B summarize the framework of school reform elements and provide background information about the surveys reviewed. Appendix C lists items from the SASS and other surveys that could be used or modified to measure important school reform elements. (Contains 51 references.) (SLD)

This report presents the results of a study of how emerging technologies can help educators deliver standards-based education to K-12 students. The first section of the report provides background on the new technology offerings and defines smart desktop systems. The second section lists critical questions for decisionmakers related to general policy, implementation issues, and vendor selection. The third section describes the components of a smart desktop system, including tools for standards, pedagogy/learning activities, resources, assessment and evaluation of student learning, professional development, classroom management, home-school connection, productivity, teacher education, local and global community, and grant writing. The fourth section describes vendor offerings in three categories: education portals/content providers; instruction/curriculum frameworks; and software manufacturers. The fifth section summarizes findings of an online survey of chief state school officers and organizations that provide smart desktop products/services related to audience, curriculum and teaching standards, instructional support, assessment of students, assessment of educators, professional development focus, professional development approach, access and reporting levels, data analysis, performance comparisons, World Wide Web-posted progress reports, Web-based delivery, implementation challenges, implementation-technical support, implementation challenges, teacher productivity tools, pricing models, hardware, and online tools. Tables of survey data, a copy of the questionnaire, a list of surveyed vendors, and scenarios of smart desktop applications are included. (MES)

This paper presents results from the first phase of a longitudinal study of the Australian Postgraduate Awards (Industry) Scheme, a recent government initiative under which graduate students receive grants to conduct projects for Masters or PhD degrees, supervised jointly by university and industry partners. The study involved national surveys of each participating group - students, faculty, and company staff - and sought to compare views on a range of issues, some pertaining to the operation of the program and its outcomes, others in reference to perennial issues in graduate education. The paper explores questions at the intersection of both sets of issues, demonstrating benefits of the program to each participating group, in contrast with perceptions of some of the constraints on higher degree research in the context of university-industry collaborations. The study found that the program is highly valued by its participants and that it provides opportunities for students to undertake research of industrial relevance while working towards a higher degree, research that the partners agree would not have been viable otherwise. However, results are not conclusive, and the apparent degree of uncertainty about research careers in Australia among the program participants is discussed in the report's concluding section. Contains 30 references. (Author/GLR)

The Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) database based on the American Freshmen Survey provides data for use in making marketing and management decisions in colleges and universities. This paper describes an operational cooperative model for managing and exploiting the data that CIRP makes available. The paper also offers an example of the substantive insights that can be derived from such cooperation. Additional sections: (1) provide a description of a project for sharing CIRP data among the members of an existing consortium, the institutions that are involved in the effort, and the student data in the resulting database; (2) discuss the scales used in the study constructed from the CIRP measures of social and political values and the creation of a general index of liberalism; (3) examine the differences among and within institutions on this index; (4) explore the characteristics of institutions that appear to contribute to differences in the social/political orientations of their freshmen classes; and (5) provide summary observations and suggestions for further research. Analysis suggested that various institutional characteristics and student academic orientations (i.e., intended major) are associated with measurable differences on an index of social/political liberalism. (GLR)

Substantial ethnic differences in fertility were documented in the Congo in the mid-1950s. These differences, apparent as well among women residing in Kinshasa, the capital, were linked to variations across ethnic groups in the incidence of venereal diseases and sterility. By the mid-1970s ethnic differences in fertility had diminished but were still present. Using a 1990 survey of more than 2,400 reproductive-age women, a study revisited fertility differentials among 6 broad ethnic groups that are well represented in the city. Significant differences by ethnic group remain, but these differences appear to be small compared to those that prevailed in the 1950s. At the same time, substantial fertility differentials by educational attainment have emerged, particularly at the middle and higher secondary and university levels. While ethnicity remains as a significant influence on fertility behavior, educational attainment has become a key factor associated with larger fertility differences in Kinshasa. During the past 40 years, increased access of women to schooling especially secondary education has been associated with a decline in fertility in Kinshasa. Distinctly lower fertility of relatively well-educated women is a phenomenon increasingly evident in a number of African countries. Appended is information on ethnic groups in Kinshasa, accompanied by a map of cultural regions of the Congo and 2 tables of data. Contains 5 tables of data, 15 notes, and 22 references. (Author/BT)

This report describes the results from an exploratory project conducted for the National Center for Education Statistics. The purpose of the project was to develop and field test questionnaire items and related methods designed to capture information about the instructional processes used nationally in 8th- to 12th-grade mathematics classrooms. Data from classroom observers, short logs of daily classroom practice, and a teacher questionnaire were used to assess the quality of the items. A survey questionnaire, field tested with 100 teachers, was completed by approximately 300 mathematics teachers, and a case study was conducted with 41 teachers in similar settings with comparable responsibilities. Results of these studies were used to make 10 recommendations to improve the field test validation process and the survey items. Thirteen appendixes contain supplemental information about the study and the test items. Appendix M contains a summary, in chart form, of recommended changes to the field test items. (Contains 21 references.) (SLD)

A study at the United States Air Force Academy examined reasons for "survey saturation" among students. Despite relatively high return rates, anecdotal student data suggested that students felt burdened by frequent administration of surveys; and administrators expressed concerns about the general validity of survey data. Information was gathered on students' views of an optimal survey, their concerns about confidentiality and the use of electronic surveys, and student motivation and survey participation. Written comments gave insights into issues emphasized by students and provided evidence that survey responses impact upon policy decisions. The survey data provided clear empirical support for students' feelings of being over-surveyed and the resulting negative impact on survey validity. Findings from the report suggest consideration of important guidelines for future survey design and administration. (Contains 8 references.) (CH)

This study sought to determine which sources of information were most often used by the West Virginia public higher education governing board, and to assess the sources' usefulness in examining major higher education policy issues. Data were based on a mailed survey that asked members of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia state college system to identify which of 25 external and internal sources of information they found most useful. Sources included campus catalogs, institutional audits and reports, a statewide higher education report card, state higher education publications, Southern Regional Education Board publications, and the World Wide Web. Of 12 voting board members, nine returned surveys. Analysis indicated that, on average, board members used 10.89 sources, with six, including the statewide higher education report card and special reports prepared by central staff, judged as the most useful internal sources. All board members also obtained information from external sources such as local newspapers and state legislators. Respondents were also asked to rank important policy issues. Of the 18 issues listed, presidential activities and evaluations, legal issues, and enrollment ranked as the most important. Five data tables are included. (CH)