The primary objective of this study was to develop demand equations at retail for selected Venezuelan food commodities. Commodities included for analysis were rice, refined sugar, crude sugar, flour, potatoes, beef, pork, black beans, corn, and powdered milk. The basic statistical technique employed in the analysis was least squares multiple regression. Although several mathematical forms for these demand equations were evaluated, a log-log transform was found to be most useful. Independent variables included own price, prices of substitutes and complements, time and income . Observations were taken from Venezuelan time series data over the period 1945-1965. Development of these basic demand equations facilitated the treatment of a second objective which was to evaluate the degree of complementarity and substitution between each one of the commodities included in the model. Further, it provided the necessary structural framework to give exante examination to selected policy alternatives for Venezuelan agriculture. Alternatives examined included minimwn price and import policies. Interesting results and conclusions may be s ummarized as follows: 1. Difficult statistical problems are encountered in an attempt to estimate direct and cross elasticities of demand from time series data . 2 . A less general approach utilizing principles of demand theory is advisable until further requirements are made in the data series. 3. A consistent demand model docs provide useful insights into the interrelationships of commodity demands in terms of direction of change in price and quantity if not in terms of their magnitude. 4. Regional and social stratification of price, income and consumption data should improve the reliability of any subsequent analyses . 5. Additional household expenditure surveys of a cross-sectional nature would provide useful and necessary checks on the demand estimates obtained from time series data.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were differences in attitudes and perceptions between students enrolled in the curriculum component of an urban elementary teacher education program at the State University College at Buffalo, New York, and a comparable group of students enrolled in the curriculum component of the regular elementary teacher education program in relation to self and selected aspects of the urban environment. The study also attempted to identify experiences which the students in the experimental group perceived as effecting changes in self concept, understanding of self and others, and perceptions of the urban child, school, and community.The subjects for this study included an experimental group of twenty-five students whose professional laboratory experience took place in urban schools and a control group whose laboratory experience took place in suburban schools. The control group was selected from students who had no urban experience. Weekly curriculum seminars in elementary education were conducted with both groups.Two instruments were used to collect data. The Self Concept Inventory was administered to students before and after the experience. The Opinions About Target Area Schools was administered at the completion of the experience. In addition, students in the experimental group were interviewed.The statistical treatment applied to the quantitative data was the t-test between correlated means to determine significance of differences within each group and independent t-tests to determine significant differences between groups. Quotations obtained from the interviews provided qualitative data relating to self concept, understanding and awareness of self and others, and attitudes toward selected aspects of the urban environment.From the analysis of data, the following conclusions were presented:1. Students having an urban laboratory experience had more positive views of the inner city than students who did not have an urban experience. These views were influenced by interpersonal relationships and experiences within the urban community and by college seminars dealing with personal feelings, attitudes and understandings.2. Teacher preparation programs developed to provide preservice teachers with urban experiences can make a positive difference in the attitudes of these students toward the urban environment.3. By establishing an inconsistency between what students believed to be true prior to the urban experience and what they, in fact, experienced, it appeared that it was possible to alter or modify student attitudes.4. Students reported increased awareness, understanding, and/or acceptance of cultures other than their own, following the urban experience.5. Students identified experiences which contributed to positive change in their attitudes and to their growth as future teachers.6. Students who had professional laboratory experience in urban areas expressed a preference for teaching in urban schools, in contrast to students who did not have this experience.7. Both groups tended to have more positive views of self on the posttest, though only the experimental group showed significant gains on the total test. However, when these gain scores were compared with the gain scores of the control group, there was no significant difference between groups. The experience of working with children in either setting may have positively influenced attitudes toward self.8. The establishment of programs designed and implemented to prepare teachers for urban areas are desirable, feasible, and necessary.

Foreign aid is a constantly debated and researched subject. Chinese foreign aid towards Africa and other parts of the world is not without scrutiny. China sees their foreign aid as a tool of soft power, that they use to gain a more positive image and increase cooperation. This study aims to add to the debate through an investigation of how Chinese foreign aid is portrayed in Tanzanian and Kenyan newspapers. The method used to examine newspaper articles in this study is a Critical Discourse Analysis based on Fairclough’s three-dimensional model. The study uses the concept of soft power to analyse different themes found through the CDA. In addition, a comparison between Tanzania and Kenyan newspapers is made.  The findings of this study show a variation of positive and more critical themes in Tanzanian news media while Kenyan news media has themes based on a more critical point of view. The critical themes may show challenges towards Chinese soft power and its strive for a positive image of their foreign aid towards the Tanzanian and Kenyan public. However, how much of a challenge this poses cannot be concluded within this study. As government leaders and heads of states are contributing to uphold a positive image of Chinese aid, particularly in Tanzania this is seen as a positive thing for China’s aim to gain a more attractive image.

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