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New York's North Country Community College's model of general education specifies the particular competencies that should be achieved in the college's liberal arts courses. In 1991, a study was undertaken to assess the general education competencies attained by students enrolled in Introductory Psychology. Using a pre-test/post-test design, 111 students were assessed in terms of gains in objective and subjective knowledge of psychology, critical thinking, and writing skills. A 36-item objective test of psychology knowledge, and an essay test of subjective knowledge, critical thinking, and writing ability were administered during the first and last weeks of the course. Three independent reviewers were trained to assess general education competencies as they appeared in student writing samples. Scores were given in each testing category, as well as for each answer's correctness, detail, and style. Significant increases were found for all four competencies examined. The methodology used to study general education from a course-embedded approach was successful and appears to be one which can be used with other courses across the curriculum in assessing general education competencies. A course outline is included. (Author/DJD)

With the trend toward early retirement and the fact that people are living to an older average age, more years of an individual's life will be spent in retirement. To examine personal values as psychological determinants of the retirement preparation process, 206 classified university employees, between the ages of 50 and 65 years of age, completed the Retirement Preparation Indexes and the Rokeach Value Survey. A value profile was established for each level of preparation (low or high) by computing median rankings for each value for all respondents in the category. An analysis of the results showed that preretirees with a high level of retirement preparation preferred terminal values which were action-oriented and self-actualizing, and instrumental values which emphasized virtuous and altruistic, self-assertive, and cognitive interests, e.g., a sense of accomplishment, wisdom, social recognition, and inner harmony. Persons scoring low on the Retirement Preparation Indexes showed a preference for more self-centered and hedonistic terminal values, and for instrumental values that were other-directed in nature, e.g., obedient, polite, forgiving. The findings suggest that value orientation may be a meaningful predictor of preretirement planning. (BL)

The study presented was conducted to examine potential relationships between attitudes regarding the dying process, including acceptance of euthanasia, and other attitudinal or demographic attributes. The data of the survey was comprised of responses given by 331 respondents to a door-to-door interview. Results are discussed in terms of preferred cause of death and preferred duration of the dying process. (YRJ/Author)

North Country Community College (New York) implemented a model of general education specifying competencies to be achieved in liberal arts courses. Introductory psychology students were pre- and posttested on competencies of knowledge (objective and subjective), critical thinking, and writing, using an objective test and essay. Significant gains were found. The methodology can be applied across the liberal arts curriculum. (Author/MSE)