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"Data Management and Decision Making" is a set of instructional materials designed to teach practicing and potential educational administrators about the uses of operations research in educational administration. It consists of five units--"Operations Research in Education,""PERT/CPM: A Planning and Analysis Tool,""Linear Programming,""Queueing Theory," and "Computer Simulation." The first unit is an introduction. Each of the subsequent four units introduces a specific operations research technique and provides instruction on the basic terminology and skills involved in the technique. These materials were subjected to extensive testing and revision as part of the developmental project. The evaluation included a needs assessment, field testing, and cost-benefit analysis. Information on the evaluation is included along with the needs assessment instrument. (Author/IRT)

Social invention is defined as any law, organization, or procedure that changes the ways in which people relate to each other, either individually or collectively. The author discusses the dynamics of social invention and proposes specific social policy changes needed in Canada in such areas as mental health, educational outreach programs, and social science research. The second half of the book catalogues historically significant social inventions and proposes an agenda for social inventions in the future. (MPB)

This study of career goals, academic objectives and the relation of these to success in the job market involved a series of annual interviews with samples of people representing four different population groups: young men who were 14 to 24 years old in 1966; men who were 45 to 59 years old in 1966; young women who were 14 to 24 years old in 1968; and women who were 30 to 44 years old in 1967. For each of the four groups a probability sample of the civilian noninstitutional sample population has been drawn by the U.S. Bureau of the Census from 235 sample areas representing every state and the District of Columbia. Each sample consists of approximately 5,000 people. Conclusions tentatively suggest: (1) There is an enormous diversity in the background of students, even when they are grouped into relatively homogenous curriculum categories. (2) Many of the students show the clear effect of inadequate or no vocational guidance in their hopes and educational objectives. (3) Even in a world in which guidance was both accurate and abundant, many careers would be begun, terminated, and changed as a result of exogenous and accidental events that are completely outside the control of the student. (4) Most of the men in this study had vague career goals that were subject to many changes. (5) Higher education in the United States is clearly one of the most effective channels of upward intergenerational mobility, and this too different by curriculum field. Additional conclusions and case histories are included. (MJM)

Three school districts are examined in terms of what educational objectives are important and how well the schools are meeting these objectives. The first district incorporated goals listed by Phi Delta Kappa and questioned grade 5 parents, high school and junior high school students, and elementary, junior high school, and high school teachers as to perceived importance and performance standards for the 18 objectives. A table is presented showing areas of agreement among the groups, and there is a fairly high agreement within each group between the ranking of goals on importance and performance. The second school district used a similar method but did not divide parents, students, or teachers into subgroups. General agreement resulted on the relative importance of the goals, although there was less agreement on the areas of educational needs. The third district did not use general goals, defined in a questionnaire, but elicited five educational priorities from parents in the district. (SE)

Life skills are problem solving behaviors applied appropriately and responsibly in the management of one's life. The purpose of this book is to make available evaluation reports on the use of the life skills course conducted by a variety of organizations. Each evaluation study was based on a different experimental design and in some cases the evaluation was done by the implementer. The evaluation report on the course conducted by Mental Health/Alberta represents one of the most thorough psychometric evaluations of a life skills course to date. The reports in this book indicate some of the variety of applications being made of the life skills course: mental health, probation and housing. Since the purpose of evaluation is to provide information to decision makers whether they be potential adopters, adapters or developers, it is appropriate that this book on life skills evaluation should include a plan for re-developing the life course. (Author/PC)

Using questionnaire derived-data from randomly selected Northeast Alabama high schools, an historical comparison was made of the educational goals of 924 seniors in 1966 (19 schools) and 918 seniors in 1972 (15 of the same schools). Differences in the status projections of 1966 youth (438 males and 486 females) and their 1972 counterparts (470 males and 448 females) were made on the basis of sex. Research objectives were to determine: (1) the nature and extent of patterns of change relative to educational status goals and (2) the influence of place of residence on change in educational status orientations. Compared by year, the educational orientations of male and female respondents were tabulated for five orientation dimensions (aspiration, expectation, goal deflection, intensity of aspiration, and certainty of expectation) and for the same dimensions with reference to place of residence. Findings indicated that between 1966 and 1972: educational aspirations had significantly declined; the value placed on education had substantially declined; the certainty of achievement of educational expectations had lessened; the 1972 male respondents had experienced less incongruence between their educational aspirations and expectations than had 1972 females; and the downward change had persisted regardless of residence type. (JC)

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Bransford and Franks linear effect is or is not a function of semantic integration. The subjects were 32 volunteers from two undergraduate psychology courses at the University of Georgia. Stimulus materials consisted of four meaningful (M) complex embedded English sentences and four meaningless (M-) sentences. The procedure was similar to that used by Bransford and Franks (1971). Subjects were randomly assigned to either the M or the M- condition. The two conditions were identical except for the type of sentence used. The experimental session was carried out in two phases, acquisition and recognition. Acquisition involved a test of short-term memory for each sentence. Recognition involved rating sentences on the basis of whether the subject had or had not experienced it during acquisition. Results showed a significant linear effect for the meaningless sentences. Furthermore, although the slope of the effect for meaningless sentences was flatter than that of the control, other data rules out a semantic integration explanation based on the availability of semantic information contained in sentence structure. The evidence would thus appear to support the view that structure and content are closely interrelated in language comprehension. (TS)

Analyzing FY 74 GI Bill data seems to confirm that a Vietman veteran's chances of using the GI Bill turn on what state he is from. Geography controls opportunities because the formula of today's GI Bill, unlike that of World War II's Bill, ignores state differences in educational costs. This legislative formula inadvertently minimizes veterans' use of their deferred compensation for military service in Eastern and Midwestern states. Under the formula of today's GI Bill, all veterans get the same flat monthly sum--$220--to pay for education and living costs. The World War II GI Bill provided a sustenance payment of $75 per month and a separate payment for tuition, books and supplies of up to $500 per year directed to the educational institution. In addition, current benefits levels are interpreted by the Veterans Administration to show that veterans today have more adjusted dollars than did World War II veterans. However, this computation is based on Consumer Price Index data, which treated the 1948 dollars as being worth $2.00 in October 1974 dollars. In actuality, figures like the minimum wage and average monthly earnings have increased three to five times their 1948 levels. Federal or state corrective action is needed to give all veterans equal educational buying power and to give them the needed income base. (Author/KE)

A pilot study was undertaken for the Community Relations Commission of the employment of non-English speaking immigrants in British industry, using open-ended interviews (21 at the management level, 15 others, and 128 immigrants). Objectives were (1) to investigate the impact on business organizations of employing non-English speaking immigrants and (2) to attempt to analyze the benefits and costs of providing language training, particularly at the company level. Problems of concern to management include the effects of lack of language on job entry and promotion, and the implications of language problems for industrial relations. In-company language training has not been general, has needed support from community leaders, and has been dependent for its success on the attitudes of management at all levels. Analysis of costs and benefits (for the individual, society, and the company) indicates that the various benefits of in-company programs outweigh the costs. Concluding that language training is a factor which could contribute to avoiding future conflict and that unless top management recognizes the need efforts to promote in-company training may be frustrated, the need for urgent, positive action is emphasized, including the provision of major resources for further language training facilities for industry. (SA)

This study attempts to compare the perceptions and self-reported behavior of high, middle, and low authoritarian advertising executives, business executives, and members of the general public concerning the social effects of advertising. For the advertising sample, a total of 393 men and women were selected according to their executive positions in advertising agencies in Atlanta. The questionnaires used for this study and the methods of statistical analysis are described. The findings of the study are examined in terms of the three groups of subjects in four ways: perception of advertising social effects, perceived advertiser behavior, advertising executive self-reported behavior, and biodata differences by area of specialty subgroups. The analysis of the data is described and among the conclusions were that business executives are most critical of advertising's social effects as well as advertiser behavior; and advertising executives, business executives, and the general public express a great deal of awareness concerning the potential negative social effects that advertising can precipitate. The appendix includes 15 mean score comparisons as well as copies of the questionnaires. (TS)

The effects of varying amounts of computer assisted instruction (CAI) in mathematics, on the academic performance of 446 fifth and sixth graders scoring below norm on the California Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) were investigated. Independent variables were: (1) beginning-of-year CTBS mathematics pretest score; (2) teacher's verbal ability; (3) years of teacher experience; (4) teacher degree level; (5) student self-expectation; (6) number of CAI sessions that a student had in the year; and (7) intelligence test score. By regression analysis, end-of-year CTBS posttest scores were compared with these independent variables using linear, Cobb-Douglas (homogeneous and nonhomogeneous), and transcendental logarithmic model specifications of student achievement. CAI had a significant and positive impact on achievement in most cases. Typically, 100 5-10 minute CAI sessions--given daily to weekly--can, during the course of a school year, raise a disadvantaged student's grade placement in mathematics by perhaps .3 years over what the achievement gain would have been otherwise. Furthermore, at the present cost of $25 to $75 per student for provision of 100 sessions per year, CAI is substantially less expensive than most alternatives for compensatory education. Advantages and limitations of the Cobb-Douglas and transcendental-logarithmic specifications are also discussed. (Author/CP)

The technique of behavioral contracting is recommended as a highly effective, readily applied technique for use in efforts to strengthen the control of family and school over the behavior of delinquents. A behavioral contract is a means of scheduling the exchange of positive reinforcements among two or more persons. The use of behavioral contracts is predicated upon four assumptions: (1) receipt of positive reinforcements in interpersonal exchanges is a privilege rather than a right; (2) effective interpersonal contracts are governed by the norm of reciprocity; (3) the value of an interpersonal exchange is the direct function of the range, rate and magnitude of the positive reinforcements mediated by that exchange; and (4) rules create freedom in interpersonal exchanges. Behavioral contracts consist of five elements--precise statements of the privileges, responsibilities, sanctions and bonuses of each signatory as well as a means of monitoring events relevant to the agreement. The use of a behavioral contract with one delinquent girl is described and analyzed using Markovian methods. (Author)