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The aim of the International Society for Technology, Education, and Science (iHSES) conference is to offer opportunities to share ideas, discuss theoretical and practical issues, and connect with the leaders in the fields of "humanities," "education" and "social sciences." It is organized for: (1) faculty members in all disciplines of humanities, education and social sciences; (2) graduate students; (3) K-12 administrators; (4) teachers; (5) principals; and (6) all interested in education and social sciences. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]

This document contains the second volume of the proceedings of the 29th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Conference papers are centered around the theme of "Learners and Learning Environments." This volume features 43 research reports by presenters with last names beginning between Adl and Fre: (1) Working with Learners' Mathematics: Exploring a Key Element of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (Jill Adler, Zain Davis, Mercy Kazima, Diane Parker, and Lyn Webb); (2) A Comparison between Teachers' and Pupils' Tendency to Use a Representativeness Heuristic (Thekla Afantiti-Lamprianou, Julian S. Williams, and Iasonas Lamprianou); (3) Purposeful Task Design and the Emergence of Transparency (Janet G. Ainley, Liz Bills, and Kirsty Wilson); (4) A Developmental Model for Proportional Reasoning in Ratio Comparison Tasks (Silvia Alatorre and Olimpia Figueras); (5) Referential and Syntactic Approaches to Proof: Case Studies from a Transition Course (Lara Alcock and Keith Weber); (6) Teachers' Beliefs about Students' Development of the Pre-Algebraic Concept of Equation (Vassiliki Alexandrou-Leonidou and George N. Philippou); (7) Developing Students' Understanding of the Concept of Fractions as Numbers (Solange Amorim Amato); (8) Multiple Representations in 8th Grade Algebra Lessons: Are Learners Really Getting It? (Miriam Amit and Michael N. Fried); (9) Reform-Oriented Teaching Practices: A Survey of Primary School Teachers (Judy Anderson and Janette Bobis); (10) The Genesis of Signs by Gestures: The Case of Gustavo (Ferdinando Arzarello, Francesca Ferrara, Ornella Robutti, and Domingo Paola); (11) Students' Experience of Equivalence Relations: A Phenomenological Approach (Amir H. Asghari and David Tall); (12) How Series Problems Integrating Geometric and Arithmetic Schemes Influence Prospective Secondary Teachers' Pedagogical Understanding (Leslie Aspinwall, Kenneth L. Shaw, and Hasan Unal); (13) Dealing with Learning in Practice: Tools for Managing the Complexity of Teaching and Learning (Sikunder Ali Baber and Bettina Dahl); (14) Situations of Psychological Cognitive No-Growth (Roberto R. Baldino and Tania C. B. Cabral); (15) Good CAS Written Records: Insight from Teachers (Lynda Ball and Kaye Stacey); (16) Developing Procedure and Structure Sense of Arithmetic Expressions (Rakhi Banerjee and K. Subramaniam); (17) Struggling with Variables, Parameters, and Indeterminate Objects, or How to Go Insane in Mathematics (Caroline Bardini, Luis Radford, and Cristina Sabena); (18) Exploring How Power is Enacted in Small Groups (Mary Barnes); (19) A Framework for the Comparison of PME Research into Multilingual Mathematics Education in Different Sociolinguistic Settings (Richard Barwell); (20) Vygotsky's Theory of Concept Formation and Mathematics Education (Margot Berger); (21) Preservice Teachers' Understandings of Relational and Instrumental Understanding (Kim Beswick); (22) The Transformation of Mathematics in On-Line Courses (Marcelo C. Borba); (23) Using Cognitive and Situated Perspectives to Understand Teacher Interactions with Learner Errors (Karin Brodie); (24) Identification of Affordances of a Technology-Rich Teaching and Learning Environment (TRTLE) (Jill P. Brown); (25) The "A4-Project": Statistical World Views Expressed through Pictures (Michael Bulmer and Katrin Rolka); (26) A Whole-School Approach to Developing Mental Computation Strategies (Rosemary Callingham); (27) A Comparison of Perceived Parental Influence on Mathematics Learning among Students in China and Australia (Zhongjun Cao, Helen Forgasz, and Alan Bishop); (28) Using Word Problems in Malaysian Mathematics Education: Looking beneath the Surface (Kah Yein Chan and Judith Mousley); (29) Constructing Pedagogical Knowledge of Problem Solving: Preservice Mathematics Teachers (Olive Chapman); (30) Revisiting a Theoretical Model on Fractions: Implications for Teaching and Research (Charalambos Y. Charalambous and Demetra Pitta-Pantazi); (31) Students' Reflection on Their Sociomathematical Small-Group Interaction: A Case Study (Petros Chaviaris and Sonia Kafoussi); (32) Investigating Teachers' Responses to Student Misconceptions (Helen L. Chick and Monica K. Baker); (33) Studying the Distribution of Responsibility for the Generation of Knowledge in Mathematics Classrooms in Hong Kong, Melbourne, San Diego and Shanghai (David Clarke and Lay Hoon Seah); (34) Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Teaching Relationships in Three Mathematics Classrooms in Remote Queensland (Tom J. Cooper, Annette R. Baturo, and Elizabeth Warren); (35) Exploring the Strategies Used by Grade 1 to 3 Children through Visual Prompts, Symbols and Worded Problems: A Case for a Learning Pathway for Number (Ty Corvell Cranfield, Cally Kuhne, and Gary Powell); (36) Primary Students' Knowledge of the Properties of Spatially-Oriented Diagrams (Carmel Diezmann); (37) A Conceptual Framework for Studying Teacher Preparation: The Pirie-Kieren Model, Collective Understanding, and Metaphor (Maria A. Droujkova, Sarah B. Berenson, Kelli Slaten, and Sue Tombes); (38) Mathematical Modelling with 9-Year-Olds (Lyn English and James Watters); (39) Exploring "Lesson Study" in Teacher Preparation (Maria L. Fernandez); (40) Child-Initiated Mathematical Patterning in the Pre-Compulsory Years (Jillian Fox); (41) The Tacit-Explicit Nature of Students' Knowledge: A Case Study on Area Measurement (Cristina Frade); (42) Teachers as Interns in Informal Mathematics Research (John M. Francisco and Carolyn A. Maher); and (43) Exploring Excellence and Equity within Canadian Mathematics Classrooms (George Frempong). (Individual papers contain references.)

East Asia is the region which has experienced unprecedented growth in the past few decades. This growth resulted in the increase in education opportunities and the empowerment of women. Modernization and globalization provided opportunities for many women in China, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan. Modern Asian women can obtain higher education and gain status in their careers; they are at the crossroads between tradition and modernity. This paper provides information about the women's movements in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Readers obtain an understanding of globalization and its impact on women's lives in these societies. It concludes that the status of women has improved dramatically over the last 30 years; but there are still obstacles that prevent women from achieving equity in political participation, equal pay, and equal share of household responsibilities. Contains a 13-item bibliography. (Author/BT)

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Conference on Education and New Developments 2015-END 2015, taking place in Porto, Portugal, from 27 to 29 of June. Education, in our contemporary world, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the human being, in the way one thinks, feels and acts. One of the most important contributions resides in what and how we learn through the improvement of educational processes, both in formal and informal settings. Our International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the processes, actions, challenges and outcomes of learning, teaching and human development. Our goal is to offer a worldwide connection between teachers, students, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues. We take pride in having been able to connect and bring together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. We counted on an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement our view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons we have many nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. END 2015 received 528 submissions, from 63 different countries, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form as Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. It was accepted for presentation in the conference, 176 submissions (33% acceptance rate). The conference also includes a keynote presentation from an internationally distinguished researcher, Professor Dr. Martin Braund, Adjunct Professor at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa and Honorary Fellow in the Department of Education at the University of York, UK, to whom we express our most gratitude. This volume is composed by the proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2015), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.) and had the help of our respected media partners that we reference in the dedicated page. This conference addressed different categories inside the Education area and papers are expected to fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. To develop the conference program we have chosen four main broad-ranging categories, which also cover different interest areas: (1) In TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: Teachers and Staff training and education; Educational quality and standards; Curriculum and Pedagogy; Vocational education and Counseling; Ubiquitous and lifelong learning; Training programs and professional guidance; Teaching and learning relationship; Student affairs (learning, experiences and diversity); Extra-curricular activities; Assessment and measurements in Education. (2) In PROJECTS AND TRENDS: Pedagogic innovations; Challenges and transformations in Education; Technology in teaching and learning; Distance Education and eLearning; Global and sustainable developments for Education; New learning and teaching models; Multicultural and (inter)cultural communications; Inclusive and Special Education; Rural and indigenous Education; Educational projects. (3) In TEACHING AND LEARNING: Educational foundations; Research and development methodologies; Early childhood and Primary Education; Secondary Education; Higher Education; Science and technology Education; Literacy, languages and Linguistics (TESL/TEFL); Health Education; Religious Education; Sports Education. (4) In ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES: Educational policy and leadership; Human Resources development; Educational environment; Business, Administration, and Management in Education; Economics in Education; Institutional accreditations and rankings; International Education and Exchange programs; Equity, social justice and social change; Ethics and values; Organizational learning and change. The proceedings contain the results of the research and developments conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to promote growth in research methods intimately related to teaching, learning and applications in Education nowadays. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, who will extend our view in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues, by sharing with us their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. (Individual papers contain references.)

This paper examines the historical evolution of career development in China and Hong Kong. It reports that, according to Zhang (1994), the evolution of career guidance in China can be divided into six stages: the rise of vocational guidance and education (1917-1949); reorientation (1950-1965); abandonment (1966-1976); transition (1977-1986); experimentation (1987-1989); and expansionism (1990-present). Career development in Hong Kong is rather a recent development and can be classified into three stages: the rise and development of vocational guidance (1958-1978); the transitional period from vocational guidance to career guidance (1978-1990); and the consolidation period (1990-present). It states that changes are expected again as the two governments begin to draw closer than they have in 100 years. (Contains 13 references.) (JDM)

This paper describes the initial and inservice education of teachers in Hong Kong, and explores improving teacher education in the context of a changing era. According to the Basic Law for the future Hong Kong Government after China takes over in 1997, Hong Kong will not dispose of the existing educational system, but will build on it and continue it. For primary and junior secondary teachers, initial teacher education is mainly by preservice studies. Secondary five or secondary seven school graduates pursue a full-time course leading to a Certificate in Primary or Secondary Education. For senior secondary and sixth form teachers, initial teacher education is offered by the Faculty of Education of the universities. Inservice Teacher Education in Hong Kong is described, including award-bearing provisions, non-awarding-bearing provisions, and school-based provisions. Current developments in teacher education are discussed, as well as expectations beyond 1997. Emphasis on teacher education in Hong Kong has traditionally been on initial education, focusing primarily on developing teachers' capabilities in implementing the centrally developed curricula, and has been viewed mainly as the role of universities and colleges. It is expected that recent changes will lead to significant improvements. Further, developments in teacher education in Hong Kong will have an impact on China as well, including establishment of the Hong Kong Institute of Education as a major teacher education institution and upgrading the quality of primary school and kindergarten teachers. Details of teacher education programs are outlined, including areas of improvement, modularization and credit-bearing courses, and a wider variety of degree courses. (ND)

Drawing on 1386 questionnaire responses, 11- and 12-year old primary students in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan valued the same six orientations in their mathematics learning. These are achievement, relevance, practice, communication, information and communication technologies [ICT], and feedback. Each of these six values was also embraced to different degrees by students across the three regions. These findings shed light on how students' values might be used to support learning, at the same time emphasising that such values are culture-dependent. [For the complete proceedings, see ED597799.]

Using English as a global communicating tool makes Taiwanese people have to speak in English in diverse international situations. However, consonants and vowels in English are not all effortless for them to articulate. This phonological reduction study explores concepts about phonological (articulating system) approximation. From Taiwanese folks' perspectives, it analyzes phonological type, rate, and their associations with 2 genders. This quantitative research discovers Taiwanese people's vocalization problems and their facilitating solutions by articulating lessening. In other words, this study explains how English emerging as a global language can be adapted and fluently articulated by Taiwanese. It was conducted at National Changhwa University of Education from 2010 fall to 2011 spring, investigating Taiwanese university students' phonological lessening systems. It reveals how they face the phonetics challenges during interactions and give speeches by ways of phonological lessening. Taiwanese folks' lessening patterns belong to simplified pronouncing methods, being evolved through Mandarin, Hakka, and Holo phonetic patterns. This genre of facilitated articulation can be also titled as transformed or approximate methods of articulating formula. In this investigation, 59 students according to their individual articulating experiences provided their perceptions, based on their observations in their own English articulation systems. Statistics graphs analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) display 4 consonants and 4 vowels that have been reduced and adapted. Moreover, the gender factor was taken into consideration, revealing male's and female's dissimilar difficulties in pronunciation. More specifically, this empirical study investigated the correlation between elements of gender and phonological reduction. Through statistical analysis, 8 intricate vowels and consonants are compared and contrasted based on Taiwanese students' perfections and difficulty-confessions in articulating them. Simplified phonetic patterns with Taiwanese accents involved into the articulating lessening system in Taiwanese students' English utterances were provided by the instructor. Based on 2 variables of female gender and male gender, the study discovered the lessening sequences in 8 phonetics. The significance of this study is its contribution to giving confidence to English speakers in Taiwan. Although they are non-native speakers, they still can resolve the pronunciation difficulty and talk with fluency by their created phonological reduction system. Appended are: (1) Survey (Instrument); and (2) Vowel diversities. (Contains 1 table and 2 graphs.

This year the Research Institute for Higher Education in Hiroshima University hosted an international conference in close collaboration with Hijiyama University. The main purpose of the 2008 conference was to enable the participants to give preliminary country/regional reports based on their national/regional surveys. This publication reports the proceedings of the conference. The following papers are presented at the conference: (1) International Implications of the Changing Academic Profession in Japan (Akira Arimoto); (2) The Context for the Changing Academic Profession: A Survey of International Indicators (William K. Cummings); (3) The Changing Academic Profession in Canada: Exploring Themes of Relevance, Internationalization, and Management (Amy Scott Metcalfe); (4) The Changing Academic Profession in the United States: 2007 (Martin Finkelstein and William Cummings); (5) The Academic Profession in England: Still Stratified after All These Years? (William Locke); (6) Changes in the Finnish Academic Profession Reflect Reforms in Higher Education (Timo Aarrevaara and Seppo Holtta); (7) Academic Staff in Germany: "Per Aspera Ad Astra?" (Ulrich Teichler); (8) The Changing Academic Profession in Italy: Accounts from the Past, First Insights from the Present (Michele Rostan); (9) The Australian Academic Profession: A First Overview (Hamish Coates, Leo Goedegebuure, Jeannet Van Der Lee and Lynn Meek); (10) Governance and Decision-Making Related to Academic Activities: The Case of Higher Educational Institutions in Malaysia (Muhammad Jantan and Morshidi Sirat); (11) A Preliminary Review of the Hong Kong CAP Data (Gerard A. Postiglione and Hei Hang Hayes Tang); (12) Progress of the Academic Profession in Mainland China (Hong Chen); (13) Analyses of the Educational Backgrounds and Career Paths of Faculty in Higher Education Institutions in Beijing Municipality, China (Yan Fengqiao and Chen Yuan); (14) The Changing Academic Profession in an Era of University Reform in Japan (Tsukasa Daizen and Atsunori Yamanoi); (15) Brazilian Academic Profession: Some Recent Trends (Elizabeth Balbachevsky, Simon Schwartzman, Nathalia Novaes Alves, Dante Filipe Felgueiras dos Santos, and Tiago Silva Birkhoz Duarte); (16) Mexican Academics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: Who Are They and How Do They Perceive Their Work, Institutions and Public Policies (A Preliminary Analysis) (Jesus Francisco Galaz-Fontes, Laura Elena Padilla-Gonzalez, Manuel Gil-Anton, Juan Jose Sevilla-Garcia, Jose Luis Arcos-Vega, Jorge Martinez-Stack, Sergio Martinez-Romo, Gabriel Arturo Sanchez-de-Aparicio-y-Benitez, Leonardo Jimenez-Loza and Maria Elena Barrera-Bustillos); (17) The Academic Profession in Argentina: Characteristics and Trends in the Context of a Mass Higher Education System (Monica Marquina and Norberto Fernandez Lamarra); and (18) The Academic Profession in South Africa in Times of Change: Portrait from the Preliminary Results of the Changing Academic Profession (CAP) Research Project (Charste C. Wolhuter, Philip Higgs, Leonie G. Higgs, and Isaac M. Ntshoe). Appended are: (1) CAP Questionnaire; (2) Conference Program; and (3) List of Participants. Individual papers contain figures, tables, references and footnotes.

In the western literature, mathematics achievement and its related student self-concept are important education outcomes reciprocally linked and mutually reinforcing. The reciprocal relation model is examined in this study to assess its generalization in a cross-cultural setting. Hong Kong is the site of choice because of its exposure to influences between British and Chinese cultures. A contextual factor of English push has been examined for male and female students behind the language switch from English to Chinese (Cantonese) in most secondary schools. The research findings are employed to compare features of the reciprocal model two years before and after Hong Kong's sovereignty handover from the United Kingdom to China. (Contains 4 tables, 1 figure, and 3 notes.)

Located at a meeting place between the West and the East, Hong Kong has been chosen in this comparative investigation to reconfirm a theoretical model of "reciprocal relationship" between mathematics achievement and self-concept using the 8th grade databases from TIMSS and TIMSS-R. During the time between these two projects, Hong Kong experienced a political transition in 1997 to switch from a British colony to a special administrative region (SAR) of China. Pertinent indicators have been selected to reflect key educational changes during the sovereignty handover. Results from this large-scale data analysis may not only help generalize the reciprocal model in a different culture setting, but also facilitate assessment of educational adjustment brought by the political transition. (Contains 4 tables, 1 figure, and 3 notes.)

Researchers have assumed that global self-esteem (often labeled as general self-concept), being a general aggregate of perceptions of the self, is content free. Recent research has, however, shown that responses to self-esteem survey items are influenced by the context in which the respondents are asked to make their responses--a chameleon effect. In 2 confirmatory factor analytic studies in an academic context, the relations between self-esteem responses that are more general and those that are more easily associated cognitively with academic work were examined together with school self-concept. Study 1 with high school students in China found that students did not differentiate between the hypothetical academic and nonacademic self-esteem constructs, and the correlation between self-esteem and school self-concept was high. Study 2 with college students found that students differentiated between academic and nonacademic self-esteem whereas academic self-esteem correlated more highly with school self-concept than did nonacademic self-esteem. Whereas self-esteem responses by high school students may be based highly on interpretations of the self-esteem items in terms of experiences in the school setting, responses to more general, context free items by more matured students with diverse life experiences may be less academic than those items that are more readily related to the academic context. (Contains 44 references and 3 tables.) (Author)

This paper suggests that the upcoming transfer of Hong Kong from Great Britain to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1997, offers a unique opportunity to observe how changing configurations in the political environment influence mass media. The article investigates how the Hong Kong press, which spans the entire left-center-right ideological spectrum, has begun to adapt its "journalistic paradigms" because of the political transition. The paper also (1) develops the concept of "journalistic paradigm" (taken-for-granted and unspoken assumptions); (2) traces the emergence of a dualistic power structure (colonial and Xinhau [New China] News Agency) in Hong Kong; (3) examines political ideology and partisan affiliation of the press; and (4) compares the direction and magnitude of editorial paradigm shifts in relation to press ideology. A content analysis of several newspapers, reported in the paper, reveals that the shifts of the "journalistic paradigms" are contingent upon the press' political affiliations--the rightist press has gradually converged with the centrist press, shifting from an initial stance favoring continued British rule to accommodate the PRC's takeover of Hong Kong, and the leftist press has reduced its anti-colonial overtone. One table of data and 73 notes are included. (MS)

This study examined the unique learning styles of Asian-American students, noting different Asian immigrants' backgrounds and relating Asian cultures to children's learning. Data came from a literature review; interviews with 19 families from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan who had a total of 33 children ages 6-21 years; and home and community observations conducted during spring 1998-spring 2000. Results indicated that all students came from nuclear intact families of foreign-born parents who were active in their children's academic lives. Students reported that structural teaching and clear expectations helped them focus on content being taught. Half of high school and college students preferred self-directed learning and individual projects. Teachers' approval and encouragement were important reinforcers. Parental supervision and support played an important role in children's learning. Parents provided a safe, supportive environment for their children and usually involved their children in extracurricular activities. They also pressured their children to be not only successful, but also outstanding. These children of East Asian parents adjusted well academically to American schools. They may need teacher and administrator psychological support and understanding to reduce pressure from the home and community. (Contains 12 references.) (SM)

The current rapid economic development in mainland China strongly demands that the world understand the People's Republic of China's (PRC) negotiating behaviors to ensure a successful business transaction. This study examined the PRC business negotiating behaviors by interviewing 16 Hong Kong businesspersons who have experiences in doing business with the PRC Chinese. Questions regarding the most important cultural factors that affect the PRC business negotiations, problems encountered, and guidelines for reaching a successful business negotiation with the PRC Chinese were asked. Overall, participants identified face, relation, harmony, reciprocity, and credibility as the five most important cultural factors that affect PRC business negotiations. Guiding principles based on Confucianism and strategic applications from other schools of thought form the two faces of the PRC Chinese business negotiations. The interaction and integration of the two forces complicate the process and understanding of Chinese social behaviors. The guidelines for a successful business negotiation with PRC businesspersons include: (1) build a relationship before the negotiation; (2) remember courtesy requires reciprocity; (3) be patient and polite; and (4) develop a long-term relationship. Most existing studies tend to focus on the impact of Confucian traditions, which leaves an unexplored space for research. To understand business negotiating behaviors of the PRC Chinese, future research should explore the strategic aspect that originates from non-Confucian traditions. (Contains 1 table, 2 figures, and 36 references.) (NKA)

The Communications Tech and Policy section of the Proceedings contains the following eight papers: "The Wayward Bureaucracy: Government Assessment of FCC Organization and Performance" (Philip M. Napoli); "Understanding Internet Adoption Dynamics" (David J. Atkin, Leo W. Jeffres, and Kimberly Neuendorf); "Online Newsgathering Trends, 1994-96" (Bruce Garrison); "Does WEB Advertising Work? Memory for Print vs. Online Media" (S. Shyam Sundar, Sunetra Narayan, Rafael Obregon, and Charu Uppal); "Duopoly Market Structure as Public Policy: Lessons from the Cellular Telephone Industry" (Hugh S. Fullerton); "The Internet: Is the Medium the Message?" (Mark W. Tremayne); "Flying Freely but in a Cage: An Empirical Study of the Potential Effects of the Internet on Democratic Development in China" (Edgar Shaohua Huang); and "Bystanders at the Revolution: A Profile of Non-Users of Computer Mediated Communication in Hong Kong Universities" (Charles Elliott). Individual papers contain references. (CR)

Although the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) has been administered to Chinese test takers in Taiwan and Hong Kong for more than 22 years and in China for the past decade, there is very little documentation on the history, test taker volumes, performance, or law school admission rates of these candidates. The current study addresses the following three issues: reviewing the history or LSAT administration in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong; delineating the numbers of test takers in the three regions; and describing and comparing the performance of Chinese test takers since 1991. Between June 1986 and February 1991, a total of 14 test taken in China, 141 in Taiwan, and 128 in Hong Kong have taken the LSAT. Between June 1991 and 1995 the number of test takers in China increased, from 3 in 1991 to 30 in 1995. The test taker volume in Taiwan grew from 21 to 48 in that time, but the volume in Hong Kong declined steadily from 21 in 1991 to 8 in 1995. Since the LSAT adopted its new scale in 1991, three major findings are apparent about test takers from these areas. The average performance of Chinese test takers from the three regions is quite comparable, and is close to the LSAT population mean. Female Chinese test takers tend to score slightly higher than males, and those test takers whose dominant language is English performed better than those whose dominant language is Chinese. (Contains five tables and one reference.) (SLD)

The classifications of 11 attributions according to dimensions of locus, stability, controllability, predictability, and globality by participants in 7 countries (China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Spain, and the United States) were compared in a cross-cultural study. The attributions were: (1) bias; (2) help; (3) luck; (4) ability; (5) competence; (6) effort; (7) task; (8) chance; (9) knowledge; (10) skill; and (11) mood. It was hypothesized that different cultures would assign different meanings to attributions according to the dimensions. Participants from the 7 countries were 1,145 undergraduate and graduate students and lay individuals (over age 35 with no formal education beyond high school). Nine of the 11 attributions could be validly compared, but bias and competence were not comparable across the countries. Subjects from all countries perceived ability, mood, skill, and knowledge as internal. All countries except Israel (neutral position) perceived chance and task as external. In all countries, effort was seen as controllable. Israelis were neutral with regard to skill and knowledge, but other countries perceived these attributions as controllable. Luck was generally perceived as uncontrollable, with luck and chance seen as unstable. Average values were seldom found at the extremes. The most significant differences were found for Israel, and these were findings that could be reflected in a greater sense of control of one's destiny and more perceived power. Five tables summarize study findings. (Contains 9 references.) (SLD)

These proceedings contain an introduction and 26 papers arranged in five sections: (1) People's Republic of China and Taiwan (Republic of China); (2) Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand; (3) Korea; (4) Japan and the Western Pacific; and (5) United States. Paper titles and authors are as follows: "Recent Social Security Policies and Developments in the People's Republic of China (PRC)" (Liu); "Long-Term Care for the Elderly in China" (Liang, Gu); "Retirement Policy, Health and Social Services for the Elderly in Shanghai" (Wong); "Informal Social Support Systems in China" (Liu); "Cognitive Impairment among the Elderly in Shanghai, China" (Yu et al.); "Intergenerational Relations in Contemporary China--Descriptive Findings from Shanghai" (Barusch et al.); "Family Structure and Elderly Problems in Taiwan" (Shu); "Taipei Municipal Government Budgetary Issues for Elderly Services" (Bai); "The Family as a Social Welfare Support System for the Elderly in Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China" (Yang); "Need of the Elderly for Home Care Services in a Changing Society--The Case of Taipei Metropolitan City" (Chan); "Survey of an Interdisciplinary Study on Aging in Taipei--Sample, Instrument and Interview" (Hsieh); "Welfare Policies for the Aged on Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait--A Comparison" (Tsai); "The Coping Behavior of Caregivers in Hong Kong" (Kwan); "Segregated Housing and Residential Services for the Chinese Elderly in Hong Kong" (Ngan); "Social Support Networks for the Elderly in a High Rise Public Housing Estate in Singapore" (Cheung); "The Impact of Living Arrangements of the Elderly on Government Programs in Thailand" (Wongsith); "Operation and Development of Programs for Community Care for the Low Income Elderly in Seoul" (Cho); "Indicators of Health Status of Older People in Korea" (Koh); "The Korean-American Urban Elderly" (Kim, Kim); "The Roles of Government, Family, and the Elderly Individual Caring for Older Persons in Japan" (Maeda); "An Overview of Aging in the Western Pacific" (Andrews); "Gerontology in Higher Education in the United States" (Rich); "A Theoretical Overview of Ageism in the United States: Criticisms and Proposals toward a New Outlook" (Jan, Thacker); "Direct Care Personnel Shortages in Long-Term Care: Global Implications" (Cowart); "Quality of Care in Sheltered Housing--Regulation or Education?" (Streib); and"Financial Models for Long-Term Care: USA" (Sutton-Bell). (NLA)