Computer‐assisted distance education: off‐line and on‐line American experiences

Computer‐assisted learning is having positive effects in distance education. Increased completion rates and enrolments at the Center for Independent Study, University of Missouri can be attributed to successful implementation of off‐line and on‐line systems. The Missouri system is compared to those in other distance teaching institutions and the strengths and weaknesses of the system are analysed.     

Hazardous occupations, illness, and schooling

This initial study of the direct and indirect effects of schooling and direct effects of occupational hazards on health uses a recursive model involving choice of occupation that depends on schooling. Although the model represents only one possible conceptualization and the data on health are not the most desirable, evidence is found that occupational hazards have a strong influence on health independent of education and earnings. In addition, it is found that schooling has no direct effects on work hours lost due to illness and no indirect effects through choice of a safe job. The unimportance of schooling in affecting health may be partially explained by the limited sample which includes only blue-collar employees in very risky occupations.     

Observed peer victimization during early elementary school: continuity, growth, and relation to risk for child antisocial and depressive behavior

The rate at which 266 boys and girls ages 5 to 7 years old were victimized by peers was observed on multiple occasions in kindergarten and first grade. Individual differences in victimization were observed at kindergarten entry and in growth over the subsequent 2 years. Victimization increased for some children but decreased for others. Growth in victimization was reciprocally related to growth in teacher-reported antisocial and depressive behavior for boys. For girls, kindergarten victimization was related to growth in parent-reported antisocial behavior, teacher-reported depressive behavior to growth in victimization, and growth in victimization to parent-reported depression. At a short-term group level, antisocial behavior had a lagged suppressive effect on victimization for boys but a facilitating effect for girls.