In a review of over 25 empirical investigations of effects of communicating behavioral objectives to students, several trends were apparent. Advance knowledge of behavioral objectives led to improved posttest performance in five of ten studies and to improved retention in two of three instances. Only two of seven studies found an interaction…

The study concerned (1) identifying component processes of discovery and rule learning; (2) describing differences in learning outcomes produced by the two instructional methods, and; (3) optimizing learning. It was believed that understanding the effects of aptitude, instructional methods, and their interaction is important in the study of…

AN EXTENSION OF MODELING BEHAVIOR INTO COGNITIVE AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT WAS ATTEMPTED THROUGH THE USE OF FILM-MEDIATED MODELS FOR THE ACTIVATION AND GENERALIZATION PHASES OF THE CONSERVATION PROBLEM. FOUR HYPOTHESES WERE SET UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO QUESTION SUCH PREVIOUS EXPLANATIONS OF THE CONSERVATION RESPONSE AS THOSE OF PIAGET AND BRUNER. THE…

One hundred and eight 12-year-old children recalled words from sentences they had rated as producing bizarre images significantly better than they recalled the same words from sentences rated as producing ordinary images. A tentative explanation is offered in terms of a cognitive approach to perception itself. (Editor/RK)

Recall of spatial location was studied with 5, 8, 12-13, and 17-18 year old subjects. Intentional learning of location was superior to incidental learning in the youngest but not in older children. Results are in agreement with Bryant's (1974) analysis of perceptual development which emphasizes the use of external spatial frames of reference in…

Author declares counselors must recognize that the problem-solving process that occurs in a counseling situation is synonymous with classroom learning, and understand the nature of the problem-solving process and how to guide and nurture this process. (Author)

Describes two BASIC computer programs to elicit and analyze grids easily and clearly. FOCUS uses a two-way cluster analytic method to re-order the constructs and the elements, and to highlight similarities and differences in the grid. PEGASUS is an interactive program which conversationally elicits a grid, and processes and offers real-time…

Using a network of comparisons, B. Hayes-Roth and F. Hayes-Roth found that subjects performed better on adjacent than on nonadjacent comparisons. Results suggested that such networks are processed in a manner fundamentally different from simple linear arrays. Here subjects were required to learn a similar knowledge structure. These results…

Predictions derived from an organizational interpretation of transfer in a part-whole free-recall paradigm were tested via a procedure which allowed manipulation of part- and whole-list organizational compatibility and extent of part-list organization. (Author/SW)

Three new experiments concerning the depth-of-processing view demonstrate that repetition at the phonemic depth of processing does facilitate memory, regardless of whether the repetitions are massed or distributed and regardless of whether the dependent variable is uncued recall, cued recall or recognition. (Author/RM)

In the theory of learning, the psychological approach is predominant whereas the logic of cognitive learning has fallen into oblivion. Referring to these two approaches, the author specifies basic differentiations of the concept of learning and defines the main stages in the process of learning. (Author/BSR)

Wait time is the duration of pauses separating utterances during a verbal exchange. Paper reviews studies that involve wait time in a range of subject areas and grade levels. Wait time appears to foster higher cognitive level learning by giving teachers and students more time to think. (RB)

Students with learning disabilities work to avoid difficult tasks while trying to appear competent ("passing"). They also check, monitor, and evaluate their actions, a form of "metacognition." These are flip sides of the same coin of strategic interaction and are context-bound, not context-free activities. (Author/LHW)

Effects of prior knowledge and elaborate processing on retention of connected discourse were studied. Using the mean scores of the control group from each condition, derived scores were calculated for experimental groups. Results indicate prior knowledge and elaborative processing operate to diminish retroactive interference generated by reading a…

Describes a classroom technique that promotes higher levels of thought and enhances learning in graduate and undergraduate teacher education classes. (DF)