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This paper examines factors affecting parental expectations of higher education prospects for their children using Australian household survey data. We find that a variety of factors influence parental expectations, of which parents' assessment of their children's academic performance is the strongest. Factors known to impact upon actual higher education participation, such as parental education and remoteness, are already evident in parental expectations, but with limited evidence of expectations being shaped by financial constraints. We also find evidence of a 'same gender' effect, with mothers exhibiting higher expectations for higher education for their daughters. This may be in part due to significantly lower expectations held by fathers with sub-bachelor qualifications. These factors contribute to higher expectations overall for girls entering university. The research points to the importance of interventions commencing in early childhood, and accounting for key household background characteristics when designing, implementing and evaluating programmes for widening participation in higher education.

As with other countries, Australia has been grappling with the identification, measurement and impact of disadvantage in higher education. In particular, the measurement of socio-economic status (SES) has been of central concern. The immediate solution in Australia has been the introduction of an "area" measure in which students' SES is categorised on the basis of census data for their neighbourhoods rather than on individual or household data. This paper assesses the veracity of the area measure in capturing individual SES for school-aged entrants, using a longitudinal data set, the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, to construct individual measures of SES and a national ranking of sample individuals on the basis of probability of attending a higher education institution. The results demonstrate the tendency for area measures to misclassify individuals' higher education opportunity and the associated potential for perverse policy outcomes.

Engineering programs have long thrived in U.S. universities. More recently, engineering content has been introduced in America's high schools, yet less so in elementary and middle schools across the nation. To meet the demand for engineers in the U.S., educators must play a more active role in inspiring young students to this career option. Attracting future generations of secondary students to engineering programs will be a challenging venture. To help create the best and the brightest engineers possible, many nations are focusing on K-12 education and taking this younger talent more seriously. The need for engineering classes at the middle school level is apparent. Early exposure to engineering principles has the capability of creating positive influences. Students learn creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking, as well as a possible pathway towards an engineering career choice. In order to be recognized as a major supplier of engineers by the global community, America's engineering educators need to focus on middle school populations and then encourage high school students to consider a career in a dynamic field. While there is still a long way to go before the nationwide inclusion of engineering curriculum in America's middle schools, positive steps are being taken.

Discusses how to share technology-based lessons with other teachers. Includes an outline for documenting activity suggestions and offers recommendations for preparing print resources for colleagues. Includes essential elements of a published technology-based activity. (JOW)