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The evolution of Germany's dual apprenticeship system and the challenges now facing it were reviewed. The following topics were considered: (1) the progression from craft guilds to vocational training; (2) the history of Germany's dual apprenticeship system from its organization in the 1970s; (4) apprenticeship in the dual system; (3) Germany's education system; (5) regulation of vocational training; (6) financing and the cost of training; (7) adjusting skills to new requirements; (8) regulation of the apprenticeship placement system; (9) continuing vocational training in Germany; (10) new challenges for today's dual system; (11) apprenticeship in Germany's Eastern Lander; (12) apprenticeship as a strategy for fighting youth unemployment; (13) Quebec's apprenticeship system; (14) an overview of apprenticeship in Canada; and (15) a comparison of the German model of apprenticeship to models in other countries. The success of Germany's dual apprenticeship system was attributed to the fact that it does not compete against itself by attempting to solve the problems of adjusting to changes in the labor market by creating branches that are parallel to system's existing branches and thereby undermining the value of the existing system or creating "upward competition through higher-level training programs." (Contains 12 tables/graphs, 33 endnotes, and 36 references.) (MN)

A gender-based analysis of training that focuses on barriers to women because of changes in the availability of sponsorship leads to the conclusion that training programs for women in New Brunswick have been spotty at best. Women's training has occurred during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s under the aegis of the Canadian Manpower Training Program, National Training Act, Canadian Jobs Strategy, Labor Force Development Strategy, and more recently since the shift to devolution, through Labor Market Development Agreements between Canada and each province. The literature identifies barriers, including personal, family, societal, and bureaucratic, that prevent women from getting training they want/need. Women have never played more than a very minor role in apprenticeship, probably because most trades are nontraditional occupations. Most students who receive student loans are women. Participants in the Skills, Loans, and Grants program have been 64 percent males; the discretionary aspect of the case manager's role may play a considerable part in a lower support rate for women. Issues that emerge in examining training programs for women concern sponsorship, eligibility requirements, women-only and bridging programs, and training opportunities for social assistance recipients. Arguably, absence of sponsorship is the most significant barrier to women's training. With virtual elimination of such sponsorship in the late 1990s market-driven approach to training, a signficant decline in women's training can be expected. (Appendixes include 38 endnotes and additional tables and charts.) (YLB)

This study followed 513 graduates of regular, gifted, and private school programs in Ontario over 4 years as students at York University (Toronto). Overall, the study found that having participated in a gifted program in high school did not result in increased levels of achievement in university. However, it did find that graduates of gifted high school programs had slightly more positive self-concepts than other students in some areas. Tables summarize data on high school program by family income, grade point average, and by high school program and the following self-assessed skills: thinking and reasoning skills, problem solving skills, planning and organizing skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and quantitative skills. (Contains 25 references.) (DB)

This report presents findings of a longitudinal study of student experiences and how they relate to college outcomes. The study was begun in 1994 and followed approximately 550 students attending the six daytime faculties at York University (Ontario) to the end of 1998. Data included yearly student surveys, focus group meetings conducted with first-year students, and administrative records. Particular attention was paid to differences among faculties, genders, and ethno-racial groups. Findings led to five general conclusions: (1) there was some improvement in students' in-class experiences over the four-year period; (2) students became less involved in many out-of-class activities but maintained a constant amount of interaction with friends over the four years; (3) overall, differences between first and fourth years were not large; (4) in general, the experiences of South Asian and Chinese origin students were relatively negative; and (5) there were virtually no differences based on family income and gender, though experiences varied somewhat among faculties. Individual chapters address the following topics: the university experience, the sample, reasons for attending the university, course work and classroom experiences, experiences outside of class, sources of support for studies, external influences, group experiences, and future jobs. (Contains approximately 85 references.) (DB)

This study examined outcomes for graduates of York University (Ontario) immediately and 2 years after graduation. An initial survey was conducted at the time students graduated from the university's faculties of Arts, Fine Arts, Pure and Applied Science, and the Schulich School of Business (SSB) in the fall of 1995 and the spring of 1996. Two years later a telephone survey of the 1,434 respondents to the original survey was conducted. Of graduates not continuing their education, most had made a successful transition to the labor market, with employment comparable to the national average. Very few graduates reported being unemployed and looking for work. There were some faculty-based differences: the greatest number of graduates who were still students came from the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science; SSB graduates reported the greatest number of full-time jobs; and the greatest number of self-employed graduates came from Fine Arts. No significant differences in current activities were found for ethno-racial differences or gender. Data and text provide detail on the following: current activities of graduates, number of months before getting first full-time job, monthly income, job satisfaction, relationship of jobs to education, threat of layoff, and assessment of the university experience. (DB)

During a faculty strike at York University (Ontario), two telephone surveys were undertaken to assess its academic and economic impact on students. The first survey, taken during the fifth and sixth weeks of the strike, used a survey instrument that reflected issues raised in student focus groups. The second survey was undertaken five months after the strike to measure post-strike experiences and attitudes. Respondents for the first survey included 519 randomly selected full-time undergraduate students in several disciplines; in the second survey 83 percent of the original students were reinterviewed. This complete report documents the background, study design, support for the strike by students and by faculty during the strike, and its immediate academic and economic impacts on students. Also documented are the post-strike support for the strike, its short-term academic and economic impacts, students' ideological positions, and their integration with faculty. The surveys confirmed that students faced academic and economic hardships both during and after the strike; only a minority of students supported the strike. Interference with summer employment and summer school were major student concerns. Regression analysis, however, showed that academic and economic hardship explained little of the variance in student support for the strike; the best predictor of support for the strike were student attitudes about unions. (Contains 17 references.) (CH)

Surveys were conducted to examine the post-college plans of York University (Canada) graduates of the Faculties of Arts, Fine Arts, Pure and Applied Science and the Schulich School of Business. The first survey population included all bachelor's degree candidates who had graduated in fall of 1995 and the second involved all June 1996 graduates; the response rate was 51 percent. The survey included questions about: respondents preferences or destinations for the coming year; family income, ethnic/racial origin, birth date, gender, and academic standing; institutional experiences both in and out of classroom and coursework and curricular patterns; community and social activities; and general satisfaction with the academic experience at York. Data on grade point averages was obtained from administrative records. Almost half the respondents reported that they hoped to be in the labor force in the year after graduation. Of the remainder, approximately 5 percent planned to attend graduate school at York University and almost 25 percent planned to attend another postsecondary institution. Overall, disciplinary major was the best indicator of whether or not students would pursue further education. (Contains 10 references). (JLS)

This report presents findings of a Canadian national study of 1,492 regular classroom teachers, administrators, resource teachers, special class teachers, and university students on the inclusion of students with disabilities into general education classrooms. Three data sources were used in the research: an Educator Opinion Questionnaire, voluntary spontaneous written comments from the last page of the questionnaire, and individual, in-depth interviews. Results indicate that the educators' attitudes toward inclusion divided into two major areas. The first related to strong reservations about work load and the effect of inclusion on regular class teachers, adequacy of preservice and inservice professional development, and administrator support for teachers who were including special education students in their classrooms. The second area of concern centered on positive beliefs regarding inclusion and teacher ability. Generally, positive attitudes were held regarding professional ability to accept primary responsibility for included students, the ability of regular class teachers and resource teachers to work collaboratively, and the effect of inclusion on both regular and included students across social and academic domains, particularly the social. Implications of the findings are discussed, including the need for greater collaboration among government agencies, schools, and families. Appendices include the interview questions and a discussion of results. (Contains 63 references.) (CR)

In the fifth and sixth weeks of a faculty strike at York University (Ontario), a survey was undertaken to assess student perceptions of the strike, its benefits, and its costs. Respondents were 502 randomly selected full-time undergraduate students in several disciplines. Survey questions were developed in student focus groups. The report describes the survey's methodology and results in the following areas: student characteristics; central issues in the strike; long-term benefits for students at the institution; impact on student schedules; academic costs; economic costs; impact on student stress levels; relative importance of strike-related problems and other problems students encountered during the year; support for the faculty action; concern over strike impact; institutional communication about the faculty action; student involvement in strike-related activities; and satisfaction with the academic program. Results indicate the students did not feel improvement in their education would be an outcome of the dispute, but felt considerable academic and economic hardship and did not feel the faculty union or administration had students' best interests in mind. Only about one-third of respondents supported the action, but many expressed satisfaction with their academic program at the university. (MSE)

As part of a study which is following college graduates for 5 years, a survey of 2,264 graduates of York University (Ontario, Canada) who received B.A. degrees in 1995-96 shows that within 3 months of graduation, 54 percent of those seeking full-time employment had achieved this objective. The factors considered included background characteristics, institutional experiences, activities outside the university, potential job networks, generic skills, field of study, and grade point average. Independent of grades, academic honors, area of specialization, basic computer skills, and other factors, graduates from low-income families were less likely to be employed. Black graduates were also less likely to be employed. The findings of this survey are generally consistent with the labor market segmentation theory. Logistic regression of the single variables found the following variables had a statistically significant relationship to employment status: class (family income), ethnicity, weekly tutorial attendance, library use, participation in organized sports, having worked part-time in the final year, hours per week worked, help from professor in finding job, help from boy or girl friend in finding job, help from former employer in finding job, analytic skills, communication skills, organization skills, personal skills, basic computer skills, degree status, and departmental grouping. (Contains 18 references.) (JLS)

During a faculty strike at York University (Ontario), two telephone surveys were undertaken to assess student perceptions of the strike. The first survey was taken during the fifth and sixth weeks of the strike, with the objective of documenting the experiences of students while the strike was on. The questionnaire for this survey was developed with the help of input from student focus groups. The second, undertaken 5 months after the strike, measured post-strike experiences and attitudes. Respondents for the first survey included 502 randomly selected full-time undergraduate students in several disciplines; in the second survey 83 percent of the original students were reinterviewed. This report, digested from the complete report, briefly describes the survey's methodology and results, noting the effect the strike had on student schedules, academic achievement, and course completion; its economic impact; and student attitudes towards faculty and staff. It also measured degree of support for the union. The post-strike survey showed effects enduring well beyond the strike period. Although an insignificant number of students left York University because of the strike, a slim majority remained bitter about the conflict; student satisfaction with academic programs remained lower than before the strike. (CH)

This study examined voluntary and involuntary withdrawal rates of students of various racial origins at York University in Ontario (Canada). Data were obtained from three surveys of first-year students conducted in 1993, 1994, and 1995, and involving 1,864 students. Information on Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) marks, first year grade point averages (GPAs), and enrollment status at the beginning of the second year was obtained from school records. It was found that differences in retention rates for Blacks and students of South Asian, Chinese, "other" non-European, and European origins were small. Only gender, perceptions of the value of a degree, a belief that students will return for a second year, and GPA were of utility in predicting voluntary withdrawal at the end of the first year. Increased hours of employment and living in temporary accommodations contributed to involuntary withdrawal. Similarly, being Black or of "other" racial origin also had a slight effect on the probability of not returning for a second year. (Contains 48 references.) (MDM)

This study examined factors contributing to under- and over-achievement in first-year college students at York University in Ontario (Canada). The difference between predicted and actual first-year grades of a sample of 1,229 students entering York University in 1994 was examined on the basis of information obtained from administrative records, a mailed survey carried out before the start of classes, and a mailed survey completed at the end of the first year. Overall, students were likely to receive lower than expected grade point averages (GPAs) if they had high Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) marks, were in science, believed at the beginning of the first year that family problems would interfere with their studies, or were employed. Students likely to get higher than expected GPAs were in environmental studies, were highly involved in their classes, and earned relatively high numbers of course credits. (Contains 17 references.) (MDM)

This study evaluated the development of generic skills by students in the Arts Faculty at York University (Ontario, Canada) by comparing entering students and graduating students on a self-report measure. The specific skills evaluated included analytical, communication, personal, organizational, comparative, job procuring, basic numeracy, and computer skills. The study was based on a "value added" approach to measuring the effectiveness of the college experience. A questionnaire was developed and completed by 480 graduating students and 812 entering students in Fall of 1995. Overall, the study found that graduating students scored higher than entering students on all measures of skill and the magnitude of change observed was comparable to that observed in similar studies conducted in the United States. Correlations among high school grades, cumulative grade point averages, and various skills, however, was low suggesting that good high school and university grades do not necessarily indicate high levels of generic skills.(DB)

This study evaluated whether the low retention rate (53 percent) between their first and second years of students at Atkinson College, the part-time evening school of York University (Ontario, Canada) is primarily due to institutional failure or to the characteristics and choices of mature students. A survey was sent to admitted students in September 1993 which covered students' background, potential barriers to education, and initial commitment to education. In February-March 1994 a second survey collected data on students' college experiences, their satisfaction, and final commitment to the college. A total of 489 identified students completed both surveys. Of these students, 53 percent returned to Atkinson in the Fall of 1994 and 43 percent left the university. Overall, the study found that many students who left the university never intended to complete a degree, took fewer courses, and knew by the end of the first year they would not return for a second year. Students who left the university did not differ from those who returned in terms of factors such as barriers to education, their first year experiences, and satisfaction levels. The study concluded that the low retention rate is more a reflection of student choices than of institutional failure. (Contains 11 references.) (DB)

This study examined the academic experiences of first-year students at York University in Ontario (Canada) who were the first in their families to go to college. A survey of 1,849 first-year students found that 67 percent came from families in which neither parent had attended a university. Not having a parent who graduated from a university did not appear to confer a disadvantage in terms of first-year grade point average (GPA), particularly for students with high Ontario Academic Credit averages. It was also found that first generation college students were less involved in some academic and social activities that contributed to high GPAs, such as hours per week spent on campus and cultural involvement. Involvement in club and extracurricular activities had a negative impact on the GPAs of some groups of students. An appendix provides statistical data on parent education, gender, family income, race, and involvement. (MDM)

This study examined the off-campus experiences of negative racial encounters among first-year students at York University in Ontario (Canada). Focus groups were conducted with 48 Black students, 26 students of Chinese origin, and 33 students of Italian or Portuguese origin in 1993-94. In descending order of frequency, students identified stores, jobs, schools, buses/trains, restaurants, encounters with police, everyday activities, offices, and media as sites in which they had negative racial encounters. In contrast to the frequency with which various sites were identified by students, articles dealing with "visible minorities" published by the Toronto (Ontario) "Globe and Mail" since 1977 focused overwhelmingly on sites in which the police were involved and, to a lesser extent, jobs. The focus group discussions indicated that students of all racial backgrounds may have negative racial encounters, that students of certain races/origins may have negative encounters in some sites while students of other races/origins may have similar experiences in other sites, that students felt that negative racial encounters were more prevalent off-campus than on-campus, and that some students talked about their negative experiences, particularly in stores and jobs, in a way that suggests an organization of experience in terms of systemic racism. (MDM)

This study compared the academic performance of community college students who transferred to the Faculty of Arts at York University in Ontario (Canada) to the performance of students with Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) backgrounds admitted to the same faculty between 1987 and 1992. The academic performance of 155 community college transfer students and 2,746 regularly admitted students with an OAC background was compared. It was found that community college students did as well, or better, academically than direct entry high school students. Community college transfer students did not proceed toward a degree at the same rate as direct entry students, however, taking approximately one-half a course less per year. Community college students were also more likely to be non-completers/drop-outs/stop-outs (40.7 percent compared to 25.3 percent), and were less likely to graduate (48.4 percent compared to 61.3 percent), compared to direct entry students. However, community college students awarded advanced standing were more likely to persist and graduate compared to community college students not awarded advanced standing. (Contains 11 references.) (MDM)

This study examined the effects of living on- or off-campus on the grades of first-year students at York University (Ontario). A total of 1,848 first-year students were uurveyed by mail in February-March 1995, with a response nate of 65 percent. Data were also obtained from administrative records. The survey found that 74 percent of respondents lived with their parents, 15 percent lived in campus dormitories, 3 percent lived with a spouse, 2 percent lived off-campus alone, 3 percent lived off-campus with a friend, and 1 percent lived in temporary housing arrangements. Three percent listed "other" as their residence. The results indicated that students who lived with their spouses scored far higher, and students who lived with their parents scored slightly higher grade point averages than those who lived on-campus, even after controlling for Ontario Academic Credit marks and faculty of enrollment. Students living with their parents reported higher levels of classroom involvement than any other group of students. (Contains 26 references.) (MDM)

This study examined the effects of race on first-year retention at York University (Ontario). Data were obtained from student surveys conducted in 1993, 1994, and 1995, involving a total of 1,864 first-year students, along with administrative records. The study found that the number of black students who left the university because of poor academic standing was almost twice that for any other group. However, an analysis of data on students who left the university in good and poor academic standing indicated no significant racial differences. It was found that grade point average (GPA) was the primary determinant of enrollment status for black and East Indian students, while for students of Chinese and "other" origins, GPA and the value placed upon obtaining a degree were determining factors of enrollment status. For students of European origin, Ontario Academic Credit marks in high school, GPA, academic involvement, and the value placed upon obtaining a degree were determining factors of enrollment status, in line with a student integration model of retention. (Contains 34 references.) (MDM)

This study examined areas of racial tension and racial attitudes among first-year students at York University in Ontario (Canada). A survey of 1,129 first-year students in 1993-94 indicated that the vast majority believed that visible minority students had been treated equally by professors, staff, and other students. However, the first year was experienced differently by students of Black, East Indian, Chinese, European, and "other" origin. Comparisons did not always favor those of European background: East Indian students reported the greatest number of out-of-class contacts with faculty and staff. While certain outcomes of the first year experience--self-assessments of intellectual development and grade point average--varied by race, these differences could not be attributed to race per se. Focus group discussions conducted with 24 Black students and 33 students of Italian or Portuguese origin found that 23 percent of the Black and 9 percent of the Italian/Portuguese students felt that inside the university they had been treated worse than others because of their origin. Students may have been led to this conclusion because of non-specific feelings of discrimination, classroom experiences with students and professors, and informal experiences with racial overtones. (Contains 14 references.) (MDM)

This study examined student departure rates from the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science at York University in Ontario (Canada) using Tinto's (1987) model of student departure. Student records from 1992-93 were used to obtain data on grades in the final year of high school, sex, language status, and amount of student financial awards received; first-year grade point average and enrollment status after the first year were obtained from 1993-94 records. A total of 141 students also completed surveys regarding academic goals and attitudes. It was found that 78 percent of the students re-enrolled in the sciences for their second year, 5 percent enrolled in other faculties at the university, and 17 percent left the university for destinations unknown. In general, those who remained in the sciences had higher grade 13 and first year marks than those leaving the university; however, students leaving the sciences for other university faculties had higher grade 13 and first-year marks than those remaining in the sciences. Enrollment status in the second year could not be related to pre-entry characteristics or initial goals and commitments of students. An appendix explains the model of student departure. (Contains 28 references.) (MDM)

A survey and focus group study with students of Chinese origin at York University in Ontario (Canada) examined their attitudes toward the concept of "visible minority." Surveys of students conducted in 1992-94, as well as three focus group sessions conducted with 26 students of Chinese origin, have indicated that large numbers of students who spoke Chinese in their homes while growing up did not consider themselves members of a visible minority group. Focus group results indicated that many Chinese origin students did not rely exclusively on physiological characteristics such as color to ascribe visible minority status. Accent, perceived power of the group in question, numbers in the population, self-presentation, and cultural assertiveness were all seen as relevant criteria. Many students regarded visible minority as a derogatory term, and some opposed affirmative action programs because of fear of backlash, aversion to reverse discrimination, belief in merit as a basis for hiring, and ethnic pride. Overall, the results suggest that to a large number of Chinese origin students the term visible minority has a different meaning than the one researchers and policymakers assume. (MDM)

The focus group approach with black students and students of Chinese origin at York University in Ontario (Canada) was used to examine attitudes of these groups toward the concept of "visible minority." The results of eight focus group sessions conducted with 48 black students indicated that while 90 percent of the students did consider themselves visible minorities, many nonetheless regarded the term as derogatory. In previous focus groups, only half of the students of Chinese origin considered themselves members of a visible minority group. More importantly, the characteristic that might make black students visible--color--was seen as only one component of an identity that includes culture and origin. Overall, although black students supported equity measures for visible minorities and women, when confronted with a situation in which class obviously confers disadvantage, support for hiring based on visible minority and gender status alone was weakened substantially. (MDM)

This study compared the experiences of first-year students in different disciplines at York University (Ontario). Surveys of 336 students in the faculty of pure and applied science, 802 students in the faculty of arts, and 793 students in Atkinson College, the evening college of the university, were conducted during February-March of the first year. The response rates were 68 percent, 70 percent, and approximately 50 percent, respectively. The results indicated that while science students had relatively low levels of contact with faculty, they were more academically and socially involved in the university than arts and Atkinson students. However, arts and Atkinson students were more likely than science students to report that their knowledge over the first year of university had increased. In general, students readily identified shortcomings in their academic backgrounds that made the transition to the university difficult. Moreover, the majority endorsed the establishment of a credit course that would assist them in dealing with the academic and social problems associated with the first-year experience. (MDM)

A study surveyed 1,091 students admitted to Atkinson College for Fall 1993 to determine the outcomes new adult students expected from their university experience and the degree to which desired outcomes varied by gender and visible minority status. Analysis of responses showed the following: knowledge acquisition and career advancement were the most important outcomes for newly admitted students; civic improvement and improvements in family relations were regarded as outcomes of intermediate importance; and social involvement and family approval were regarded as relatively unimportant. The importance of particular outcomes varied with the general social characteristics of students; however, differences were not large. Although the importance of certain outcomes varied by gender and/or visible minority group status, these variables only explained a small amount of total variance. The importance of many outcomes also varied by student characteristics such as length of time in the country, marital status, and having children in the home. In essence, although gender and visible minority group status differences existed with regard to the importance of the desired outcomes of the university experience, differences were small. (The paper contains 7 data tables and 16 references.) (YLB)

This study examined the academic and social experiences of first-year female and visible minority group science students at "Big U," a large multi-racial and multi-cultural commuter university, located in a central Canadian city. In 1992, a total of 498 incoming science students were surveyed in September, November, and February-March of the first year. Response rates for the surveys were 89 percent, 84 percent, and 68 percent, respectively. Data were also gathered through focus groups and administrative records. The study found that first-year grade point averages varied by neither gender nor minority group status. Overall, female and minority group students reported that they had been treated by faculty, staff, and students in the same way that other students had been treated. Female students reported more contacts with faculty and staff, belonged to fewer campus organizations, and participated in fewer sports activities than male students. Males reported being more satisfied with the quality of instruction and their grades than did female students. When compared to other groups, female and minority group students encountered more problems relevant to university life, and female students indicated less self-confidence. (MDM)

This study examined the academic and social experiences of first-year science students at "Big U," a large multi-cultural and multi-racial commuter university located in a large Canadian city. A total of 498 incoming science students were surveyed in September, November, and February-March of the first year. Response rates for the surveys were 89 percent, 84 percent, and 68 percent, respectively. Data were also gathered through focus groups and administrative records. The study found that students who were satisfied with the quality of instruction, and students who felt that topics covered in classes were important to future career success, were more likely than others to score high on a number of desired outcome variables, such as increased intellectual development, science knowledge, and the likelihood that students would continue in science in their second year. The results also indicated an increased level of tolerance toward females, gays, and members of minority groups, along with an increased preference for learning on one's own. Overall, experiences in the classroom rather than out-of-class contacts with faculty were particularly important in explanations of desirable outcomes. As a result, it is argued that improvements in curriculum and teaching would have significant positive effects on both students and the institution. (Contains 32 references.) (MDM)

This report discusses the findings of a survey that asked 1,048 Ontario residents whether special enrichment classes should be provided to bright students at any cost, whether bright students should be provided with special enrichment classes only if resources are not taken away from classes of average students, or if bright students should not be provided with special enrichment classes at all. Results found: (1) the majority (63 percent) of participants gave only qualified support for special gifted education, 19 percent gave no support, and only 13 percent gave full support to education for the gifted; (2) those aged 60 or older were more inclined than others to give no support to special education for the gifted; (3) no differences were found between public and separate school supporters; (4) the lower the education of the participant, the greater the tendency not to support special education for the gifted; and (5) the higher the income the smaller the percentage giving no support to education for the gifted. (Contains 8 figures and 14 references.) (CR)

A questionnaire dealing with knowledge about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and how it is communicated, with behavior involving risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and with public policy for dealing with AIDS was completed by 1,259 Canadian adults. Canadians had a generally high level of knowledge about the transmission of HIV infection, about the distinction between HIV infection and AIDS, and about the efficacy of different methods to prevent the transmission of HIV. Most information about HIV infection and AIDS came through the mass media. Canadians were strongly accepting of the wide involvement of a broad range of health, governmental, and voluntary organizations in promoting AIDS education. Concern about AIDS had led to significant changes in the sexual practices of respondents which in turn have reduced the likelihood of HIV transmission. Respondents were strongly supportive of the rights of HIV-infected persons to freedom from discrimination, and believed these rights should be protected by law. Only a small minority expressed opinions suggesting they fear that casual contact would lead to HIV infection. (Results are reported in chapters 2 through 5 of this report; the first chapter describes study objectives and survey procedures and the sixth and last chapter provides conclusions and recommendations; 39 data tables are included.) (NB)

This document summarizes and presents materials produced during a qualitative international study of the role of transformative learning in achieving sustainable societies and global responsibility that included the following activities: case studies of experiences with transformative learning in seven countries; international survey and workshop; and establishment of an electronic computer-based network for administration of the project. The document begins with an overview of the project's objectives, methodology, and findings. Presented next are the following case study and working reports: "Transformative Learning through Environmental Action: Berlin and Brandenburg as Centers of Environmental Activism, Organic Food Consumption and Organic Gardening and Farming" (Elisabeth Meyer-Renschhausen); "Case Study from Sudan-Africa" (Naila Babiker Hijazi); "Case Study Brazil: Women in Citizen's Action: In the Struggle against Hunger and Poverty and in Defense of Life" (Morma Viezzer and Teriza Moreira); "Transformative Learning in Marginal Areas of Indigenous Migrants in an Amazon City [Aprendizaje Transformativo en Areas Marginales de Migrantes Indigenas en Una Ciudad Amazonica]" (Geog Omar Ovalles); "People's Rights, Environmental Education and Ecological Action for Sustainability: El Salvador" (Marta Benavides); "Community-Based Rural Development Project as a Vehicle to Community Ownership, Empowerment and Cultural Recovery--A Draft Working Paper of the Case Study" (Jose Zarate); "'Navdanya'--A Grass Roots Movement to Conserve Biodiversity and Sustain Food Security" (Vanaja Ramprasad); "Transformative Learning: Contexts and Practices--A Working Paper" (Budd Hall, Ed Sullivan); "Gender, Transformative Learning, and Environmental Action" (Darlene Clover); and "Food for Thought and Sustenance" (Leesa Fawcett). Concluding the document are a 28-item reference list, a 99-item annotated bibliography, and the proceedings of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) workshop. (MN)