This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Ross E. Easterling, Thomas J. Dormody, Robert Leonetti, S. P. Marland, Lydia P. Barton, A. Sterl Artley, Batten Susan T., Gay Alford, Len Ainsworth, and Robert M. Torres.
(1971). Jicarilla Apaches. Geronimo's surrender in 1886 ended some 200 years' warfare against encroaching white man in that broad area abutting the Rocky Mountains. Thus, the free-roaming period of Apache life, marked by repeated instances of bad faith and broken treaties, was ended and the Jicarilla Apaches were delivered to their reservation in northern New Mexico. The first 25 years on the reservation, from 1887 to 1912, was a period of adjustment, when tribal religious beliefs continued to dominate Apache culture. From 1912 to 1937, life changed from a bare subsistence level to the beginnings of better conditions. The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, adopted by the Apaches in 1937, opened the door to Indian self-government. The former Wirt Trading Post became the Jicarilla Cooperative Enterprise and the Apaches, whose life-style had been based on sharing and living for the present, began to accept such Western concepts as acquiring and building for the future. Then, during Eisenhower's administration, the Indian regained his personal dignity when he was encouraged to enter the mainstream of American life by going off the reservation or by remaining at home to join the labor market provided for him. With the organization of an intertribal pressure group, The National Council of American Indians, the Indian voice is now being heard. Before the fourth 25-year period of this Apache history ends in 1987, it is expected that dependence on the paternalism of the Federal Government will be a thing of the past. Descriptors: American Indian Reservations, American Indians, Attitudes, Cultural Background
(1997). Factors Perceived To Influence the Use of the Program of Activities. A study described New Mexico Vocational Student Organization (VSO) advisors' educational exposure to, use of, and attitudes toward the Program of Activities (POA), a planning and management tool available to VSO advisors. The population for this descriptive survey study was defined as 296 secondary vocational-technical teachers in grades 9-12 who had VSO advising responsibilities during the 1995-96 school year. A three-part instrument gathered data pertaining to advisors' attitude toward use of a POA, situational information related to use of a POA, and demographic information. The final sample size was 114. Findings were as follow: 60.7 percent of all VSO advisors had never been exposed to a POA; approximately 29 percent reported to have never been a former VSO member; and 57 percent reported having a POA in their chapter. The six factors (in order of rank) that were influential in developing a POA were students, competitive events, personal interests, state mandates, an existing POA, and peers/colleagues. In developing a POA, subjects identified "other teachers" as their primary source of knowledge and generally tended to include standing committees that represented those identified by the National Future Farmers of America organization. VSO advisors tended to have a favorable attitude use of a POA, although there remained a small margin for growth in their attitudes. (Contains 16 references.) [More] Descriptors: Faculty Advisers, Noninstructional Responsibility, Program Development, Program Implementation
(1973). Assessing Knowledge of Cultures. The procedures used in a study to determine how well a group of American Indian college students understood their traditional and modern cultures and a college Caucasian culture were explained in this paper. The sample consisted of 111 Indian students enrolled in the University of New Mexico. The students were tested in the areas of knowledge of the decision-making process in a traditional Indian culture, knowledge of a modern college culture, and knowledge of the decision-making processes for a Native American college student as they might differ from those of the older, more traditional Indian culture. The results were then compared with the answers of experts in the cultures. In analyzing the test results, it was found that no appreciable difference occurred because of sex, amount of Indian blood, tribal affiliation, or class in school. The students comprised a homogeneous group for the representation of the values of the present generation culture. When the students were asked to respond as they themselves felt, they indicated a high degree of reliance on their own opinions; but when they were asked to respond as though they were members of a particular culture, they tended to rely more on other people to help them make decisions. [More] Descriptors: American Indians, College Students, Cultural Awareness, Decision Making
(1972). Responsive Environment Program for Spanish American Children. Evaluation Report, 1971-72. The Responsive Environment Program for Spanish American Children (REPSAC) is an educational intervention for 30 "high risk" bilingual children of ages 3, 4, and 5 in Clovis, New Mexico, and a similar group of children from Portales. Subjects were selected on the basis of various language handicaps, perceptual and motor problems, and educational deprivation. The program's objectives were to provide successful experiences for Spanish American children in the areas of language learning in both English and Spanish and in improving cognitive and affective development. The evaluation design used to assess the effectiveness of REPSAC was a 2-group (experimental and control group) pre- and post-test covariance design. The control group was used to compare changes made in the experimental group. Among some of the measures employed were developmental profiles, the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, parent interviews, the Templin-Darley Articulation Test, and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. The project evaluation was provided by an independent team consisting of bilinguals; a clinical psychologist; a speech therapist; and early childhood, teacher education, and educational research specialists. Basic data, such as family history and attendance, were recorded by the project staff. The findings of the evaluation report indicate that the REPSAC project has made positive and significant impact upon the major project objectives for a group of high-risk children. Continued observations note increases in the subject's self-concept. Parents reflect positive attitudes. [More] Descriptors: Affective Behavior, Analysis of Covariance, Bilingual Students, Cognitive Development
(1972). Completing the Revolution. In this speech, given at the inauguration of Dr. Frank Angel as President of New Mexico Highlands University, Mr. S. P. Marland, Jr., U.S. Commissioner of Education, discusses both the shortcomings and accomplishments of the American education system when it comes to educating Mexican American students. It is noted that even though the Federal government has funded compensatory education programs and projects designed for Spanish-speaking children, the Mexican American students have a higher dropout rate than any other identifiable minority except American Indians. Also noted is the fact that some southwestern schools have begun bilingual programs where subjects are taught in both Spanish and English to all students. A major problem of the education system, which is discussed, is the past failure to teach Mexican American and other minority students to take pride in their cultural background and their national history. Mr. Marland discussed the fact that in school Mexican American children learn "virtually nothing" of their ancestors and that what they do learn is uncomplimentary. It is also pointed out that very few school staff members in the 5 southwestern states are Mexican Americans and that Spanish is excluded from the classroom, playground, and in school communications to parents. [More] Descriptors: American Culture, American History, American Indians, Ancient History
(1995). Planning an Anti-Racism Initiative. Project Change. Project Change was launched by the Levi Strauss Foundation in 1991 as an initiative to address racial prejudice and institutional racism in communities in which Levi Strauss & Co. had facilities. Working with multiracial coalitions in Albuquerque (New Mexico), El Paso (Texas), Valdosta (Georgia), and Knoxville (Tennessee), the Foundation and the Center for Assessment and Policy Development have learned a number of lessons about starting a corporate sponsored, community-driven, anti-racism initiative. Communities need to understand how difficult it is for multiracial groups to be inclusive and to reach consensus in a timely and efficient way. Task forces need a variety of people and a great deal of community support. A common approach will eventually emerge, and those who stay involved will be able to adapt their own strategies. However, specialized training and assistance are necessary to bring community representatives to that point. Corporate sponsors need to understand that local task forces need time to develop strategies and engage participants. An effective task force facilitates change. There is a role for outside assistance, but it is important to establish local ownership of the initiative promptly. The corporate sponsor can be a catalyst, but the community must be in charge ultimately. Experiences at the four project sites show the challenges antiracism programs face, but they also reveal the potential of these initiatives for community improvement. [More] Descriptors: Community Involvement, Community Programs, Cooperation, Multicultural Education
(1969). Our Brother's Keeper: The Indian in White America. The text describes the American Indian's frustrations with his closed world, which thwarts and penalizes individual and tribal self-realization, which rewards and perpetrates dependency, and which demands alienation from one's heritage as a price for survival. American society is described as arrogant and as attempting to insure that by systematic effort it will destroy or absorb the American Indian. The book is divided into 4 parts. Part 1, "Pieces of a Puzzle," includes anecdotes gathered by listening to Indians on reservations, at ceremonial camp fires, in hogans or houses or huts, on the banks of the Columbia River, in upper state New York, Alaska, New Mexico, California, Oklahoma, the Dakotas, Nevada, and the Havasupai Canyon. Part 2, "How Not to Help A People Help Themselves; A Selective Examination of Governmental Approaches to Indians," is subdivided into Education as War, White Man's Medicine: The Indian and the Public Health Service, Indian Land–A Dwindling Asset, and Bureau of Indian Affairs' 3 Lessons. Part 3, "Barriers to Change" includes A Case Study in Bureaucracy, The Compromised Advocate, and Winning the West: Congress' Unfinished Business. In Part 4, "Civilizing the White Man," the American Indian's contributions to the white man are listed. A Postscript, Where Do We Go From Here, suggests that the American Indians should be allowed to shape their own policies and priorities. Descriptors: American Indian Reservations, American Indians, Boarding Schools, Bureaucracy
(1996). Portfolios: Potentials and Problems for Preparation of Educational Leaders. Although portfolios have gained acceptance in K-12 education, they have only recently been explored for inclusion in administrator-preparation programs. This paper describes the use of portfolios in the leadership-preparation programs at the University of New Mexico (UNM). The Ed.D program, which has been significantly modified to accommodate to the needs of experienced educational leaders, has been reconceptualized around the use of portfolios as an instructional element as well as an assessment device that replaces the traditional dissertation requirement. The paper also explores important issues of faculty support, assessment needs, and policy implications. The newly revised doctoral program in educational administration at UNM was launched during the summer of 1993. Some faculty resisted self-guided learning because it challenged their long-held beliefs and practices. Because portfolio assessment requires maintaining a continuous and meaningful focus, the department also grappled with developing genuine, relevant processes and structures. Portfolios are also not yet widely accepted by the university community and the College of Education. The paper concludes that portfolios are a major cornerstone of leadership-preparation programs because they promote reflection, transformational leadership, and syntheses of meaning. Portfolios provide an alternative to traditional programs that often fall short of such objectives. [More] Descriptors: Administrator Education, Degree Requirements, Doctoral Programs, Evaluation Methods
(1996). Action Research Teams: A Means to Transform Teaching and Empower Underrepresented Students in the University Classroom. This paper describes the Action Research (AR) Team model for joining classroom observations with collegial interaction among university faculty, teaching assistants, and university students to improve pedagogy and the retention of diverse students in higher education. The paper includes a progress report of efforts to develop the model and apply it on a pilot basis at New Mexico State University. In the professional fields in which minorities and women are presently under-represented, science, engineering, and mathematics, the need for student retention efforts is seen to be especially important. The AR teams are described as part of efforts to retain minority students as they attempt to: (1) identify teaching strategies and aspects of the classroom environment and dynamics of classroom interaction that may impede student performance; (2) reduce differential treatment of students and improve the pattern of interactions; (3) increase use of non-stereotypical interactions, materials, and activities; and (4) provide more equitable support and motivation in the classroom for female and minority students. An appendix compares the workforce composition for women, African-Americans, and Hispanics in selected fields of employment and composition for those groups in United States population. (Contains 28 references.) [More] Descriptors: Action Research, Blacks, Classroom Observation Techniques, College Faculty
(1971). Pojoaque Valley Remedial Reading Program, Title I, ESEA, 1970-71. The remedial reading program at Pojoaque Elementary School, New Mexico, is summarized. The objectives were to improve the child's reading ability, personality development and assurance, and interest in the school routine. The program also aimed to provide the children with a positive environmental atmosphere. On the basis of teacher recommendation and testing, students attended the remedial reading classes two or three times a week. The classes were composed of less than six students at a session. Various causes of reading retardation were taken into consideration by the remedial teacher. Instruction in a wide range of reading skills was given, aiming at reading fro meaning and comprehension. Materials used included a variety of reading books, reading kits, programs, and games. Teaching machines such as the tachistoscope, controlled readers, audio-flashcard systems, the Hoffman Information Systems materials, and tape recorders were used to aid instruction. Student ability and achievement were measured by using different kinds of standardized tests for diagnosis and evaluation. The program also guided other creative projects such as a student-edited newspaper, book fair, and intracultural festival. Test scores and references are included. [More] Descriptors: Elementary Schools, Personality Development, Program Descriptions, Reading Difficulty
(1972). Reading Achievement of Lower Socioeconomic Level Mexican American Students. The purpose of the study was to determine if measures of first grade readiness, scholastic aptitude, and reading achievement were significant predictors of reading achievement at the end of third grade for Mexican American students from 2 lower socioeconomic levels. Students (47 boys and 47 girls) who had completed their third year in the Sustained Primary Program for Bilingual Students in Las Cruces, New Mexico, were placed in 9 subgroups. The predictor variables were the 13 tests from which the prediction of third grade reading achievement was made. The data were analyzed by 2 procedures: (1) a multiple regression analysis to determine the relationship between a combination of the 13 tests utilized for prediction and third grade reading achievement and (2) a stepwise multiple regression analysis which identified the individual contribution of each of the 13 tests to the prediction of third grade reading achievement. Findings indicated that a significant multiple correlation existed between the 13 first grade tests used and third grade reading achievement at the .05 level of confidence for (1) total sample of boys, (2) total sample of Social Class IV, and (3) total sample of Social Class IV girls. The report reviewed literature dealing with the effects of social class and/or minority group membership upon test performance and the effect of sex differences on school achievement test scores. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Students, Grade 3, Literature Reviews
(1993). A Region of Contrasts: An Educational and Economic Profile of the West, Part II. WICHE State Profiles. Working Paper 1B. Higher Education and the Economy of the West. This paper, one of a series, presents findings from a Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education's project titled, "Higher Education and the Economy of the West," that was undertaken to analyze the impact of economic and social trends on the role of higher education in the West. Included are analyses of demographic, workforce, and educational data for 16 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Data are reported for each state for: non-farm employment; industry employment outlook; top 10 occupations (most job openings; fastest growing) foreign exports; location of small business development centers and cooperative extension offices; number of postsecondary institutions; enrollments in state institutions of higher education by level type, control, and attendance status; undergraduate tuition and fees in state public institutions; higher education participation rates by race and ethnicity; and percent change in degrees earned at 4-year institutions by selected discipline. Data generally cover the period 1990-1996, but the period varies for some charts and states. Descriptors: Area Studies, Degrees (Academic), Economic Factors, Employment Opportunities
(1971). Secondary Developmental Reading Programs–Are They Feasible?. The feasibility of and disparity between pronouncement and actual practice in secondary school developmental programs are discussed. The author states that, while systematic development of reading competencies and interests are the purported goals, the actual status of developmental reading varies greatly as reported in various studies. Smith (1963) found that by applying criteria of comprehensiveness and quality to 114 schools, seven had good programs. In California (Graham, 1969), 82 percent of the reading programs were remedial. In New Mexico (Bowren, 1970), the programs were remedial and isolated from the rest of the school. In general, trends indicate that (1) the English teachers handle reading classes, (2) programs are in the experimental stage, (3) most are short-term reading and study classes taught in conjunction with content classes (usually English), and (4) only a few offer separate reading classes and free or sustained reading. Problems were listed which limit developmental programs, and it was concluded that teaching of reading and study skills in content classes, widening of scope to include developmental reading, improving program direction, and providing trained personnel will all help make a secondary developmental reading program feasible and effective. References are included. [More] Descriptors: Conference Reports, Content Area Reading, Developmental Reading, Literature Reviews
(1970). A Cumulative Summary of the Three Years of the Sustained Primary Program for Bilingual Students, 1967-1970. In this report of the final evaluation of the Las Cruces (New Mexico) Sustained Primary Program for Bilingual Students (funded under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act), the major findings for the academic years of 1967-8, 68-9, and 69-70 are cited following a program description in terms of schools, students, teachers, class size, classrooms and treatments, and objectives for each year. As reported, K-3 bilingual children in 4 public elementary schools that tended to be homogeneous with regard to the children's cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds were placed in 1 of 3 instructional settings: (1) an experimental English program where only English was used as an instructional language, (2) an experimental Spanish/English program where both languages were used, and (3) a control program. The report discusses the program's effectiveness in terms of such factors as Spanish vs. English instruction, children's intellectual development and self-concept, parental involvement, and the children's bicultural interaction. Although "results of the K-3 experiment still are…inconclusive," it is indicated that the program is providing"…a very valuable set of learning experiences in both the cognitive and affective domains." Also included in the report is a post-program evaluation, completed in the fall of 1970, to examine the effectiveness of the summer session experience as measured by the Metropolitan Achievement Test; 10 tables summarize the significant differences and the analyses proper, which indicate that the summer sessions appear to have a beneficial effect on achievement. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, English (Second Language)
(1996). An Academic Department's Response to Outcomes Assessment. Institutions of higher education are responding to increasing demands for accountability at all levels of government. The demands are also coming from regional accrediting associations in the form of a call for institutions to document their efforts in the areas of effectiveness and outcome assessment. This paper describes briefly this accreditation requirement. It presents one instructional department's response to outcomes assessment and student academic achievement and the direction it has taken for self assessment and improvement. Several models of outcomes assessment are discussed as are the detractors to self improvement in teaching that are presented by the mission of a research institution. The Department of Educational Management and Development at New Mexico State University has begun charting departmental goals, student learner outcomes, and assessments in relation to external standards. The faculty will identify how the evidence of student learning outcomes will be connected to instructional strategies and a review is being made of syllabi, assigned individual student and group activities, and assessments of all departmental courses. The process of outcomes assessment provides the identification of areas for self-improvement and the prioritization of items for immediate and future action which suggest that one of the promises of this assessment, continuous self improvement, will result in time. (Contains 19 references.) [More] Descriptors: Accountability, Accreditation (Institutions), College Outcomes Assessment, Curriculum Based Assessment