Students, whether they are academic or vocational-technical majors, need to interpret social studies problems by use of the scientific approach rather than by the use of fatalism, supernaturalism, and superstition. To ensure this outcome, secondary school curricula must provide enriching experiences through modern instructional techniques which…

This experiment compared six methods of teaching concepts of painting style. A practice-plus-verbal feedback teaching strategy (active condition) was compared to a strategy using modeled verbal response (passive condition). Each strategy was combined with three amounts of information: none, artist's name, and name plus style rule. (Author/SJL)

The strengths of classroom education, combined with the strengths of experiential education, can create an even more effective learning environment. The steps involved in classroom learning are contrasted with those involved in experiential learning, then realigned and implemented for a college course. (MLW)

Compares two methods of teaching second graders to read time from a regular clock: (1) Method A--students assign hour:minute readings for increasingly more times shown; (2) Method B--students assign hour:minute readings with fewer minute marks numbered. Indicates method B yielded greater student gains than method A. (DS)

This study of third graders examined the relative effects, under two conditions each, of two teaching methods: modeling of the contour drawing process and presentation of predrawn examples. Analysis of children's posttest drawings for visual information content indicated that predrawn examples were more effective than modeling as a teaching…

Compares full- and part-time community college faculty members with respect to the following indicators of teaching effectiveness: teaching experience, continuity of employment, degree attainment, selection of course materials, reading requirements for students, use of instructional media and support services, grading practices, availability to…

In the bottom-up model of the reading process, the reader's first task is to decode the symbols into sound representations. By contrast, the top-down model assumes that the reader begins by guessing about the meaning of some unit of print. Each model suggests different instructional practices. (Author/SJL)

Five studies on the advantages and disadvantages of small groups in teaching in higher education are discussed. These include works by M. L. Johnson Abercrombie; Barbara Cockburn and Alex Ross; M. L. J. Abercrombie and P. M. Terry; and Jean Rudduck. (JMF)

Examines a variety of teaching practices in several types of specialty schools that have an instructional emphasis and investigates the attitudes of teachers in those schools. A total of 117 teachers from grades K-6 in eight elementary schools participated in this study. (MP)

The instructional effectiveness of two different presentation methods (lecture and self-paced or modularized) was examined using two groups of pharmacy students. Little or no difference was found in this study of junior and senior students at Oregon State University. (LBH)

Examined economic concept learning and retention in 121 first and second graders who were randomly assigned (stratified by grade) to 1 of 4 instruction conditions: cooperative learning, mastery learning, cooperative-mastery learning, or control treatment. Found on posttest and delayed posttest that cooperative-mastery method was superior to other…

Investigated the effects of educational intervention upon perceptions of sexual harassment. Results from 96 subjects reveal that educational intervention impacted perception of sexual harassment, with literature interventions showing superiority over video. Gender differences in sensitivity to sexual harassment in favor of females prior to…

Describes a reactive focus on form task that was part of a university English-as-a-Foreign-Language oral presentation course. Students in the study were encouraged to focus on their oral output by taping and transcribing a rehearsal of their presentation. Describes the effect of this treatment by comparing the language of the rehearsal transcript…

A study of the writing disorders shown by students (n=260) taught by different methods of reading and writing found that pupils learning by a global-natural method make errors related more to reproductive aspects of information, whereas children taught by the phonic and syllabic methods made more errors of meaning. (Author/MSE)

Two studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of using study guides with learning-disabled, remedial, and regular education students enrolled in secondary social studies and science classes. Results indicated that study guides, whether teacher-directed or student-directed, produced significantly higher performance than self-study.…