Gender differences in the academic career

This study examines sources of satisfaction, indicators of stress, academic performance, and reward structure in the academic careers of male and female faculty at a major midwestern state university. Faculty pairs were selected from five academic divisions. A total of 58 matched pairs were identified. Of these, 63 faculty responded, yielding data for 23 matched pairs. Subjects were mailed the Academic Career Development Survey, consisting of 144 items. Results indicated that self-reported physical and mental health, and professional and personal life satisfaction were high for both males and females. Both males and females placed high importance on their career and on marriage/other intimate relationships; however, both reported high levels of dissatisfaction with these factors. Gender differences were found in both satisfaction and type of stress reported; no gender differences were found in composite teaching and research performance indices. Salary data, obtained for 42 matched pairs, indicated similar salary levels for men and women. Results were discussed with respect to prior research on gender differences and the academic career.     

The interactive effect of language and question format on accounting students' performance

This article reports the results of research to determine if a significant interactive effect exists between students' lingual background (English as a primary language [EPL] versus English as a secondary language [ESL]) and question format on students' examination scores. Students were administered examinations made up of four subtests covering the same subject matter. The subtests were composed of four question formats: multiple choice quantitative, multiple choice theoretical, open-ended quantitative, and open-ended essay questions. Based on analysis of variance and analysis of covariance, significant differences were observed between EPL and ESL students depending on the type of question on the examination.     

Markets,inequality, and urban schooling

This paper considers the intellectual and political antecedents of current attempts by the British government to create a market in state education. The implications of market forces for school organization, educational values, teachers' careers and conditions of work, and equality and social justice in the inner city are also explored. It is argued that policies of competition between per capita funded schools are likely to increase the existing inequalities in school provision in England to the disadvantage of children in urban areas.     

Influence and adaptability in families with deaf parents and hearing children

This study assessed the influence of individual family members in functional families, primarily to determine whether hearing children of deaf parents have more influence than do hearing children of hearing parents. Eight families with deaf parents and a hearing child and eight all hearing families were videotaped while planning a family meal together. It was found that deaf-parented families share many traits with hearing families. However, there were some differences. The hearing children of deaf parents had a greater number and percentage of their ideas accepted than did the hearing children of hearing parents. Differences were also noted between the deaf fathers and the hearing fathers. The deaf-parented families were more adaptable, as measured by the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale. The observed difference in child influence, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. Deafness of one family member, in an auditory dependent environment, may require a more flexible family power structure. Professionals assessing deaf-parented families should be sensitive to the special adaptive needs required for healthy functioning of the family.     

Mother-Toddler Problem Solving: Antecedents in Attachment, Home Behavior, and Temperament

In a widely cited study, Matas, Arend, and Sroufe showed that mother-toddler interaction during problem solving at age 2 years was related to the child's prior attachment security. The current study asked (1) whether an independent laboratory could replicate this attachment finding, and (2) whether problem-solving interactions relate to mother-child interactions observed at home and to child temperament measured at 6, 13, and 24 months. Replicating Matas et al., secure dyads worked more competently, and mothers showed better quality of assistance and supportive presence. Mother-child home interaction also predicted problem solving: positive involvement at home predicted effective, unconflicted problem solving. Negative control at home did not predict problem-solving interaction. Unadaptable temperament was generally related to dependency in problem solving. Several patterns of correlations appeared to be mediated by sex of child, e.g., difficult temperament in boys predicted more effective, unconflicted problem solving, while for girls it predicted more conflict.     

Special Education in Singapore

THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM was implemented in 1980 with the objective of arresting the high attrition rates of premature school leavers by providing a differentiated curriculum to suit the needs and abilities of different learners in Singapore. As a result, streaming was introduced into schools to bring out the best in every child regardless of ability. Against such a background, health, welfare and special educational services and programs for disabled people are discussed. To support the changes and improvements recommended for disabled people as contained in the Report of the Advisory Council on the Disabled(1988), the training of teachers and other rehabilitative staff are highlighted. From 1988, opportunities for the disabled have increased tremendously and the enthusiasm and efforts put in by all parties concerned with the welfare of the disabled which have greeted these recommendations thus far, augurs well for special educational development in Singapore.     

Long-term Practicals in Chemistry in the First-cycle Engineering Curriculum

In 1974–75 at the K.U.Leuven Project Work as Practicals was started in the first-cycle engineering curriculum aiming at (1) the integration of separate teaching items and 7lpar;2) the integration of theoretical and practical or numerical aspects of those items. After 4 years the evaluation of it was more than satisfactory. The teaching team of the Chemistry course has integrated this system of practicals into their normal chemistry practicals. In this way more students 7lpar;currently only 20%) would be able to profit from the new education curriculum, now called ‘Long-term Practicals’. About 20%of the sophomore student volunteers are working for about 15 hours spread over 5 weeks at a mini-research subject in close contact with the members of the teaching team, using the instruments of the Chemistry Division, reading the literature, writing a report after the practical work, with discussion and evaluation of the work with their team-leader. To make it possible that all the sophomore students (400 students in 1987)could profit from this new education system, the physics, mechanics, mathematics, etc. practicals have to adapt to the same integrated practical system.     

Reasoning about logical propositions and success in science

Students display a number of misconceptions when asked to reason about logical propositions. Rather than being random, these misconceptions are stereotypic, and relate to age, ability, and success in science. The grades in science achieved by tenth-grade general science students from two parochial single-sex schools in Australia correlated with their scores on the Propositional Logic Test. The students' ability level was consistently related to the pattern of errors they committed on that measure. Mean scores were lowest on a subtest of ability to use the biconditional and implication, higher on the disjunction, and highest on the conjunction. Success in science was predicted most strongly by the disjunction and biconditional subtests. Knowledge of the way in which a person reasons about logical propositions provides additional insights into the transformations information is subjected to as it is integrated into mental schemata.