Offers an overview of the results from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) United States Civic Education Study (CivEd). Focused on topics such as: civic achievement, different contexts of civic knowledge, student understanding of democracy, citizenship and government, student attitudes related to civic…

This study examined how experienced teachers use their complex knowledge structure to find and solve problems in the classroom. Of 30 teachers and teacher trainees, the experienced teachers imposed an experiential structure on lesson content, spent less time planning, and focused on general concerns rather than specific problems. (PB)

A study investigated whether internal medicine training program directors found feedback on their students' test performance helpful in understanding where their residents ranked nationally. Results suggest that directors have learned to rank their own candidates against a common standard but may have lowered the standards they used. (MSE)

A survey was administered assessing knowledge of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among 34 learning-disabled and 44 nondisabled high school students. Although results found no differences in AIDS awareness between groups, learning-disabled participants reported feeling less in control of exposure to AIDS and indicated less behavioral…

This study examined the constructive cognitive activity of children listening to text. Analysis of thinking-aloud protocols of 109 children in grades 1 to 6 identified 5 levels of constructive activity, with 3 subtypes at each level. Path analysis indicates that only constructive activity exerts a direct effect on learning. (SLD)

Compares the effects of a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) education unit in two curricular settings upon secondary school students' knowledge of and attitudes toward HIV prevention behaviors. Findings from experimental groups (n=260) revealed significant improvement of HIV attitudes only in the health education class, and HIV attitude change is…

The main differences between pragmatism and scientific realism seem to focus on the certainty of knowledge. Pragmatists contend that one can never be entirely certain of one's beliefs, whereas scientific realists argue that progress has been, and can be, made in explaining things about the world. (SLD)

The social representation attached to an English or Argentinan national identity were studied for schoolboys aged 7, 10, 12, and 17 years (220 in England and 146 in Argentina) following the Falkland Islands conflict. Findings suggest the potential of socially oriented theoretical frameworks for research on political socialization. (SLD)

The effects of conceptual change text and application questions in 139 college students' learning of electricity concepts were investigated. The experiment was a 2X2X2X2 factorial. Compared to traditional text and no questions, conceptual change text and application questions, respectively, improved acquisition of qualitative concepts.…

A study explored the responses of medical students, resident physicians, and experienced physicians to 12 vignettes describing hypothetical patients to determine the relationship between clinical experience and susceptibility to bias in treatment decisions resulting from presentation of possible outcomes. Framing bias was most evident in the…

A study of the relationship between first-year results for 115 Dutch medical students and achievement during medical school was studied using an item-response theory model for the longitudinal measure of change with stochastic parameters (developed by Albers et al., 1989) indicates that a low rate of growth in the first year persists. (SLD)

Researchers assessed geographic literacy in 300 college students, comparing a variety of demographic and academic factors to levels of geographic literacy. Findings reveal weak relationships between some of the academic factors and geographic competence. However, very powerful relationships are evident between geographic literacy and race, age,…

High school students in Taiwan with disabilities (N=1204) were compared with nonhandicapped adolescents (N=754) on their sexual knowledge, attitudes, and experiences. Although the nonhandicapped students were most knowledgeable and demonstrated the most positive attitudes toward sexuality, the hearing-impaired group were the most sexually…

Examined correlates of parents' knowledge about their children's daily experiences. Found between- and within-family differences as a function of mothers' work involvement, sibling composition, and children's and adults' personal qualities. Fathers knew more when mothers worked longer hours. Parents knew more about younger than older offspring.…

Discusses an in-depth investigation into the metalinguistic awareness of a group of practicing second language teachers, all nonnative speakers teaching English in Hong Kong secondary schools. The investigation focuses on teacher metalinguistic awareness as it relates to grammar. (Author/VWL)