EVALUATION AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL: RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE

This paper describes an evaluation of an Elementary Education Program using Stake's model of responsive evaluation. The problems involved in each of the twelve steps of the strategy are discussed and the influence of the University setting on the program is considered.     

CLASSIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL

The following article, which is based on the study carried out by Lars Emmelin (University of Lund) and conducted within the Council of Europe's programme on environmental education, proposes a classification system which can be of help in better planning and organization of environmental education at higher education institutions.     

PROGRAMME EVALUATION METHODS AT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

The paper describes methodology developed at the Open University to overcome problems of programme evaluation in distance learning systems. Emphasis is placed upon the techniques of contextual evaluation, in which a selection of programmes is examined as representative of the course as a whole. Insights derived from such assessment into student response to educational media are discussed     

ATTITUDES OF OLDER WOMEN TOWARD CONTINUING ADULT EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL: IMPLICATIONS FOR PROGRAM CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Current low rates of participation by elderly people in formal learning situations may be improved by developing programs that consider their attitudes, learning interests, and needs. This study was conducted to examine the attitudes of potential participants in continuing education programs concerning (1) factors that would reduce anxiety and (2) appropriate educational experiences given the abilities and learning needs of the target group.

Twenty‐seven white predominantly upper middle‐class, highly educated women aged 65 years and over were given a questionnaire concerning attitudes toward continuing education. Most (89%) indicated an interest in taking humanities classes (i.e., history, literature, music, languages, and current affairs). In addition, 55% preferred the lecture format; 81% preferred mixed ages in classes; 48% reported interest in having a companion enroll with them; and 65% reported that family members did not suggest that they enroll.

Highly educated elderly women appear interested in taking universitylevel classes. Future research should examine whether there is an increase in enrollment in programs specifically designed to meet their needs and interests. Caution is advised in generalizing results of need and attitude assessment of highly educated old people to less economically, occupationally, and educationally privileged elderly.     

INFORMATIZATION AND COMPUTERIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB

Although computerization was included in the midterm development programme of the University of Zagreb for the 1986‐1990 period, the results obtained by the end of this period had not proved completely satisfactory. Consequently, in mid‐1990, the Rector appointed a Working Group for the Advancement of Computerization. It has developed a comprehensive plan for the creation of a sophisticated and comprehensive informatics network including all the various types of components needed to generalize computing and informatics at all levels and for all purposes throughout the University. It is also planning for the integration of this system into the various Yugoslav and international computer networks. So that all students will be computer‐literate, an element of computer science will be integrated into all course programmes.     

EPISTEMOLOGICAL OBSTACLES IN COMING TO UNDERSTAND THE LIMIT OF A FUNCTION AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL: A CASE FROM THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO

This article reports on part of a doctoral study in which epistemological obstacles that mathematics students at undergraduate level encounter in coming to understand the limit of functions in different modes of representation were investigated. A group of mathematics students at undergraduate level at the National University of Lesotho was the sample for the study. Empirical data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. An erratum to this article can be found at     

UNIVERSITY‐LEVEL GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

The author describes the development of environmental education at Kharkov University in the USSR. The uniqueness of the main programme in general ecodevelopmental education is that its basic disciplinary affiliation is geography, a deliberate choice made by the university authorities’ which the author amply justifies. In the process of explaining this choice, he presents eight theses with regard to the social demand for ecologists and the ecologization of education and what he believes to be the three principal bases for general environmental education at the university level.     

THE TRAINING OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED ECONOMISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM*

The author describes the Ph.D. programme in economics and econometrics offered by the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Although basically set up in the Faculty of Economics and Econometrics of that university, the research component of a given Ph.D. programme may take place within a specialized institute, the Tinbergen Institute, that is a co‐operative venture not only of the University of Amsterdam but also of the Free University of Amsterdam, the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Leyden. The process by which one is admitted to Ph.D. study in the Netherlands is briefly described, and then a normal Ph.D. program in economics at the Tinbergen Institute is presented. An evaluation is given of this type of study and of the Faculty of Economics and Econometrics of the University of Amsterdam.

     

ASSESSING PERSEVERANCE IN STUDIES AT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF ISRAEL

This study purported to identify major factors which influence perseverance in studies at a distance teaching university with an open admission policy. The results indicate that: students who study in organised groups and get weekly tutorials have a higher perseverance rate as compared to students who study in the regular framework which provides tutorials every three weeks; veteran students have a greater chance to complete courses successfully as compared to novice students; and the success rate in liberal arts and social science courses is considerably higher as compared to natural science and mathematics courses. On the other hand, the factors of age, sex and previous level of education do not have an impact on perseverance and success in studies.     

THE CLASSIFICATION OF ABILITIES

Sixth‐form students who had expressed varying degrees of commitment to entering teaching as a career reported on their knowledge of the teaching profession, their expectations for teacher training and on their own educational experiences. By the time they had entered the sixth form most had developed quite sophisticated views about the profession and about their own potential to become effective teachers.

A warm and approachable personality was seen as the most important characteristic of the good primary teacher, while for the secondary teacher, subject matter competence was emphasized. Students planning to enter teaching saw themselves, already, as warm and approachable, but felt that their training would have a great effect on their general level of competence, and indeed on their confidence. At their chosen college of education, they anticipated too much ‘educational theory’ and not enough on ‘methods of teaching’ or teaching practice.

Most students who planned to teach had had a reasonable amount of prior experience in one of a wide range of teaching settings. This appeared to have had a beneficial effect, especially for those enrolled in formal work experience programmes.     

在学科建设中发展研究生教育——兼论中南大学学科发展战略

研究生教育不仅要适应经济、政治、文化这些外部因素的发展需要，也要适应学科发展的需要，并遵循学科建设的规律。中南大学发展研究生教育的思路是：以学科建设为基石，以学科的历史积淀为前提，以学科创新为方向。     

关于知识经济时代大学为社会服务特点的思考

知识经济时代大学成为社会生活的中心,大学为社会服务职能呈现出多样化、一体化、国际化和层次化等新的特点.这些新特点启示我们,我国大学应进一步增强为国家经济和社会发展服务意识,要根据各自大学的特点充分发挥大学应有的为社会服务职能,同时要注意防止服务不当现象.