Presents sequential assignments that require group cooperation and allow technical communication students to perceive the connection between self and subject as they become involved in various discourse communities rather than acting out simulated case studies. (HTH)

Examines backward chaining, a method of producing demonstration films in which sequential steps in a procedure are taught backwards; that is, the last step is taught first, then the next to the last step, and so on. A film designed to teach procedures used in a science experiment is used as an example. (JJD)

These lessons are designed to familiarize students with political and legal terminology through memorization and testing. Students are required to take notes on the terms and definitions given in class on 3 by 5 cards to file alphabetically at home. They are also instructed to keep a notebook of the terms to bring to class and memorize. After one…

Discusses improvisation as a phenomenon. Offers suggestions for a learning sequence. Warns against allowing students to skip levels. Identifies developmental levels of improvisation as exploration, process-oriented, product-oriented, fluid, structural, stylistic, and personal improvisation. Urges that improvisation can and should be a meaningful…

A program, developed to train teachers to use the computer, is based on the belief that adults acquire computer literacy in the same way that children do: sequentially and with hands-on experience. Programming is taught first. Reliance is placed on peer teaching as well as teaching by a skilled instructor. The role of play is emphasized in…

To learn correct grammar, developmental students must practice writing correctly. However, the traditional exercises offered in handbooks, workbooks, and textbooks not only fail to provide habituation in correctness, they actually provide practice in "wrongness." Instead of isolating individual problems, they promote confusion by linking them.…

Presents experiments on effects of music instruction, teaching practica, feedback from the instructor, and videotaped self-observation on undergraduates' use of complete sequential patterns and components. Focuses on two levels: examination of effects of systematic instructional structures on acquisition of skills and refinement of constructs for…

Reviews current literature on coherence in written text, defines coherence in broad terms, and then presents a three-lesson revision unit based on modern coherence principles. In this unit, students "deconstruct" assignment prompts, prepare first drafts, examine another student's first draft, and then revise their essays and examine the revisions.…

The purpose of the research was to manipulate two aspects of genetics instruction in order to measure their effects on college, introductory biology students' achievement in genetics. One instructional sequence that was used dealt first with monohybrid autosomal inheritance patterns, then sex-linkage. The alternate sequence was the reverse.…

The multidisciplinary approach to pharmacy education used at the University of Southern California is characterized by problem-solving curricula, instruction by faculty from a diverse group of disciplines, small-group instruction with mixed disciplines, real-world case studies, evaluation by testing with new problems, and progressive conceptual…

The implicit assumption behind personal writing assignments given at the beginning of a writing course is that personal essays eliminate the writing apprehension of having nothing to say. However, college freshmen find it very difficult to write about themselves and their own opinions because this writing involves abstract mental processes and…

Looks at effective teaching research in order to identify a "correct" teaching sequence. Analyzes rehearsals to determine how teachers with varied levels of training and experience conformed to the optimal sequence. Finds that teachers spent too little time in correct sequences and failed to use enough positive reinforcement. (Author/LS)