An irrelevant auditory probe procedure was employed to evoke brain event-related potentials (ERPs) in 56 right-handed Caucasian males while they learned concepts presented to them in study booklets. A mastery test was administered to assess concept acquisition. Subjects were divided into two groups according to whether or not their achievement…

The relationship between field dependence-independence (FDI) and the ability to read and comprehend printed text was examined in this study. The effect of the structure of instructional text on the learning process of individuals at various points on the continuum of FDI was also studied. The following hypotheses were developed: (1) there would be…

Describes study of 122 undergraduate and graduate students that contrasted the effects of two error correction procedures on student achievement when using computer assisted instruction. Analyses of variance were used to determine whether question type or error response affected subsequent responses to factual and higher cognitive questions.…

The impact on learning performance of a notetaking strategy called the Directed Overt Activity Strategy (DOA) was evaluated on three types of instructional tasks: spatial learning, simple concept learning, and complex concept learning. One hundred volunteer freshman psychology students from Ohio State University used either the DOA or their own…

Describes study of fourth and fifth grade students which explained the effect of graphics on student motivation in a microcomputer-based spelling drill program. The role of feedback in instruction is discussed, the impact of graphics on computer software is described, and results are analyzed. (4 references) (LRW)

A media attribute approach was used in a study which hypothesized that compositional syntactic placement may bridge the processing link between the learner's cognitive capacity and the demands of a simple concept attainment task. Compositional syntactic placement refers to the relative horizontal position of the primary symbol or object within a…

This study investigated the possible contribution of pictures serving a representation function to the recall and retention of information presented in written prose passages. The primary variable considered was the durability of picture effects; a second variable concerned the potential effect the presence of pictures had on the recall of…

The central objective of this study was to determine the effects of formal training in the use and types of questions and in the nature and use of algorithms on middle school students' achievement in economic geography. Subjects were 190 eighth grade students in a large metropolitan school district. Three experimental groups received either: (1)…

Describes a research program of four studies that investigated whether instructional media could be used to deliver persuasive messages effectively. Highlights include learner attitudes, aptitude treatment interaction, instructional media research, the effectiveness of various media types, learner characteristics, and suggestions for additional…

Presents the results of an experiment that evaluated the efficiency of analogy in the conceptual restructuring of a science topic. The experiment involved a fifth-grade class studying water and heat flow. Discovered that analogy can act as an effective trigger for restructuring knowledge. (MJP)

Describes study of 435 Israeli elementary school students to assess effects of open education on reading comprehension assignments. Literature on open education is reviewed, the hypotheses tested are described, results are analyzed comparing the effects of open education with the effects of traditional classroom instruction, and 46 references are…

Describes a British study with undergraduate accountancy students which compared the quantitative and qualitative effects of three types of embedded tasks or questions--relational-semantic, transpose-semantic, and non-semantic--on learning outcomes. Variables investigated included mathematical background, recall, and comprehension. Relevance of…

This study of 272 13-year-old science students in England focuses on the effect of varied text and picture content on learning. A criterion-referenced objective items test was used to measure the effect of pictures on students of varying abilities and compare the effectiveness of traditional worksheet presentation and microcomputer presentation.…