A study of technical signs in science: implications for lexical database development

Both classroom instruction and lexical database development stand to benefit from applied research on sign language, which takes into consideration American Sign Language rules, pedagogical issues, and teacher characteristics. In this study of technical science signs, teachers' experience with signing and, especially, knowledge of content, were found to be essential for the identification of signs appropriate for instruction. The results of this study also indicate a need for a systematic approach to examine both sign selection and its impact on learning by deaf students. Recommendations are made for the development of lexical databases and areas of research for optimizing the use of sign language in instruction.     

Factors predicting recall of mathematics terms by deaf students: implications for teaching

In this study of deaf high school students, imagery and familiarity were found to be the best predictors of geometry word recall, whereas neither concreteness nor signability of the terms was a significant predictor variable. Recall of high imagery terms was significantly better than for low imagery terms, and the same result was found for high- over low-familiarity and signability. Concrete terms were recalled significantly better than abstract terms. Geometry terms that could be represented with single signs were recalled significantly better than those that are usually fingerspelled or those represented by compound signs. Teachers with degrees and/or certification in mathematics had significantly higher self-ratings for the strongest predictor variables, imagery (visualization), and familiarity, as compared with those without such formal training. Based on these findings, implications for mathematics instruction, teacher education, and research are provided.     

Small Firms and the University for Industry: An appraisal

The University for Industry (UfI) is set to become the chief vehicle and change mechanism for the government's new policies for vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning. A principal target and priority for the UfI will be the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector, which has traditionally had a poor record of investment in education and training. We examine the chances of success for the UfI in this important sector of VET activity against the background of our recent national survey of firms, which specifically addressed the views of SME owner-managers, in particular, in terms of awareness of attitudes to and expectations of the new organisation. Given that the UfI is still in its pilot stage-with the official national launch not due until the year 2000-the general 54% awareness amongst the 6000 firms contacted may be described as modestly optimistic. We conclude by offering a number of general recommendations based on the emerging picture and on the basis of matching owner-manager expectations against UfI priorities and strategies.     

Locus of control: A review of cross-cultural research

This paper reviews some 70 reports of cross-cultural research in locus of control done prior to 1981. Findings of cross-cultural and cross-ethnic similarities and differences are generally inconsistent and inconclusive. Neither do studies of antecedents, correlates, and consequents of the construct enhance our faith in its universal generality. Issues such as cross-cultural conceptual and functional equivalence, dimensionality, appropriateness of measuring instruments, modes of cross-cultural comparison, and theoretical contribution are raised. Potential fruitfulness of research on the control dimension is asserted, given that we attain some modifications in our methodology.