This study examined patterns of coursework and levels of involvement of 1,099 adult students to evaluate whether some key factors commonly used to predict undergraduate students' academic performance are appropriate for use with this population. Results suggest traditional models are inappropriate for this large and growing proportion of the…

In light of elimination of mandatory retirement and prevalence of preretirement career changes, this study evaluated a model of faculty satisfaction based in which length of time until reported voluntary retirement from academe might predict a faculty member's job satisfaction. Three faculty groups were studied: novices, midcareerers, and…

A new statistical model based for identifying potential major donors was developed from a portion (n=53,276) of the Northwestern University (Illinois) alumni database. The model, utilizing logit analysis, found that the most critical measure was individuals' past giving records. Results indicate prospects with a low past giving level will rarely…

A study of 359 undergraduate students in business (n=125), education (n=111), and nursing (n=123) in 3 state university systems investigated the use of 2 affective measures concerning aspects of computer technology. Data on construct validity, relationship between results of the two measures, and implications for future research are reported.…

A mail survey of two-year colleges was conducted to identify (1) two-year colleges using computer technology to teach reading, (2) the types of hardware and software used, (3) the courses in which computer technology is used, and (4) the ways in which computer technology is used in two-year college reading programs. Responses from 181 two-year…

This publication contains 24 studies which focus on: the fostering of inquiry in secondary school science laboratories; realistic expectations for traditional laboratory work; a content-based, college-level science course for all students; understanding learning at the classroom level; transitions and student task involvement; a project to…

The basic issues, problems, techniques, and history of program evaluation are reviewed, with emphasis on the evaluation of learning assistance programs. The following topics are discussed: (1) historical perspectives (origins of the evaluation process, program evaluation in education); and (2) theoretical constructs (typologies of evaluation…

This volume contains 48 papers and 9 abstracts/research notes. Titles include: "Alternative constructs and cognitive development: commonalities, divergences and possibilities for evidence"; "Discipline knowledge and confidence to teach science: self-perceptions of primary teacher education students"; "Teacher beliefs about learning and teaching in…

This volume contains 41 papers and 6 abstracts/research notes. Titles include: "What makes lessons different? A comparison of a student's behaviour in two science lessons"; "Is achievement in Australian chemistry gender based?"; "Towards becoming a reflective practitioner: what to know and where to find it"; "Sci-Tec: evaluating a non-deficit…

This volume contains 41 papers, 10 abstracts/research notes, and an after-dinner speech "The Book of Genesis and the Chronicles of the People of ASERA (Australasian Science Education Research Association). Paper titles include: "Improving students' understanding of carbohydrate metabolism in first-year Biochemistry at tertiary level"; "Students'…

A study evaluated the feasibility of using students' self-reports of academic development and college experiences as substitutes for standardized test scores (proxies) or policy indicators. Results suggested self-reports should be used with care as proxies for a national test but may be used as policy indicators for improvement of undergraduate…

A study with 210 college freshmen investigated the effect of 3 aspects of the college experience (curricular exposure, formal classroom and instructional experiences, and out-of-class experiences). Results suggest that both classroom/instructional and out-of-class experiences make positive, statistically significant, unique contributions to gains…

Data from three national databases were used to investigate the relationship between college student characteristics and college characteristics and patterns in loan repayment and default. Analysis suggested that repayment/default behavior can be predicted by precollege, college, and postcollege characteristics of individual borrowers but not by…

A market segmentation analysis of 872 university students compared 2 hierarchical clustering procedures for deriving market segments: 1 using matching-type measures and an agglomerative clustering algorithm, and 1 using the chi-square based automatic interaction detection. Results and implications for planning, evaluating, and improving academic…

Comparison of college freshman performance on two different forms of the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (n=684, 692) found a lack of equivalence between forms and low internal consistency reliability. It is suggested that, although the test may be useful for research, it is not appropriate for decision making about individual students.…