New Releases by Alan Davis

Compelling short fiction by new writers.

An ethnographic study described a successful educational environment for students from low-income families and examined what it is about those environments that makes them successful. The subject class was a combined fourth and fifth grade class at Taft Elementary School in a predominantly African American working class community two miles from the downtown of a western city. The teacher, a white, middle-class woman, structured her class around the daily practice of writing and said that she used a "whole language" approach. Reading and writing instruction were videotaped for 8 continuous days at the beginning of the school year, and for 5 days in February, and 2 days in May. Students were interviewed in February and May. Results indicated the existence of a highly coherent and inclusive social system--a social system characterized by clearly defined and valued practices in which all students are invited and expected to participate, and an overriding consistency of messages communicated through participation in routines and through language. There were overarching values implicit in everything that took place, so that all activity was purposeful. (Contains 18 references.) (Rs)

The story of the man behind the legend, by Alan Davis, Jamie Delano & Mike Collins! Dipped in magic, clothed in science, Captain Britain was empowered by Merlin to save an unsuspecting world from the powers of darkness. His companions: sister Betsy (later known as the X-Man Psylocke) and the werewoman, Meggan. His adversaries: the ruthless Vixen, the treacherous Sat-Yr-Nin and the absurd Crazy Gang. His allies: the unpredictable Gatecrasher and her ill-assorted ban of mercenaries, the Technet. His destiny: Excalibur!

Changes in the initial stages of the evaluation process over the last decade are reflected in How to Focus an Evaluation. A new book in the series, this volume replaces the first edition''s How to Deal with Goals and Objectives. The volume recognizes that deciding what to evaluate is a complex negotiation process that involves the methodological predisposition of the evaluator and the client, client needs, the nature of the program and the constraints surrounding the evaluation. It outlines five models that characterize different methodological approaches and considers how each may contribute to the focusing process. The text provides advice on how and what type of information to collect from clients, how to clarify and prioritize evaluation concerns, and how to formulate a plan matching evaluation concerns with data collection procedures within cost constraints.