In Britain, a movement to democratize the constitution of school boards has created a trend for teachers to serve on school boards. The author discusses sociopolitical background of the movement, reasons why specific teachers are chosen to serve, their problems in adjusting to their new role, and their activities as board members. (AV)

Discusses methodology and results of a study of participatory educational planning. Objectives were to (1) understand the social and attitudinal forces that drive people to join educational policy-making groups, and (2) assess effect of organizational factors pertinent to the particular policy-level activity upon the intensity and quality of…

The National Child Development Study, a longitudinal study of 16,000 British children, examines factors that may influence the relationship between a child's speech problem, scholastic attainment, and syntactic maturity. Effects of (1) teacher's rating of poor speech, (2) doctor's assessment of defective articulation, and (3) number of words…

Describes a research project based upon a model of the university as a political system. A two-step causal sequence is hypothesized, with students' negative perceptions of the university environment generating feelings of academic alienation, which in turn foster a desire for academic reform. Results are considered in terms of the university as an…

Two groups of preschool children received a ten-week language facilitation program, with one group experiencing parent participation in classes and with language development material at home. Children whose parents were involved made significantly higher gains on the English Picture Vocabulary Test and the Sentence Comprehension Test. (Author/AV)

Data from the National Child Development Study show changes in reading and math attainment between ages of 7 and 11 for children of different social classes and family sizes. For any given 7-year attainment, the variables and changes are associated with different 11-year attainments. (Author/AV)

As a result of work on the case-study method, five desirable attributes of games/simulations are suggested to designers of materials: relevance to students' needs, relation of instruction to the real world, use of a variety of skills, a "self-check" system, and maximum motivational impact. (Author/AV)

Lack of awareness of the concept-scale interaction problem frequently causes misuse of the semantic differential technique by educational researchers. Evidence is presented to demonstrate the interaction, and a simple method of mitigating the problem is suggested. (Author/AV)

An investigation into two forms of group reinforcement techniques in control of disruptive classroom behavior is described. Implications of results on behavior modification in the natural environment are discussed, as well as future research and educational trends. (Author/AV)

In a comparison of mathematical abilities of boys and girls, after allowing for school effects, boys are seen to excel on problems involving scale or measurement, probability, and space-time relationships. Possible explanations for the observed differences are made. (Author/AV)

Considered the role of the school and how diversity in educational policy and social outlook influence educational practice. (RK)

The discussion which follows attempts, first, to account for the failure of educational studies to establish for themselves a reputation for intellectual respectability and professional indispensability; and, secondly, to suggest how this general situation may be improved. (Author)

Examines educational theories of John Dewey. Concludes that Dewey's world view could have the effect of depriving a variety of classes of the political and social consciousness necessary to effectively confront those in power. Notes the attractiveness of Dewey's system to the liberal educators of his time. (Author/KC)

Presents results of a study of the influence of school climate and the level of students' conflict behavior in terms of open and closed climate schools. Concludes that the level of conflict is lower in open climate school and describes characteristics of such schools. (KC)

Examines conceptions of political influences on education in "Schooling in Capitalist America" (Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, 1976) and "Deschooling Society" (Ivan Illich, 1971). Reviews also Bowles and Gintis' treatment of the social function of intelligence, social change, and genetic versus environmental determinants of IQ. (DB)