Evaluates German schools (n=402) that provide general education. Documents different ways of knowledge transfer in these schools. Examines the impact of different influence factors on the use of these transfer examples. Discusses the model of active use of knowledge and the transfer of knowledge throughout the school system. (CAJ)

Despite research to the contrary, most college teachers assume students have more basic knowledge then they do, and they assign essays accordingly. One instructor discusses the poor results of students' knowledge testing, noting his institution's low admission requirements and questioning today's lax standards in the face of the information age.…

Examined the influence of college students' expertise on use of multiple documents about a historical controversy. Found that strategies did not differ significantly across the groups of expert and non-expert students. However, evaluation of usefulness varied as a function of document type and students' expertise. Furthermore, novices and experts…

Presents goals of National Commission on Teaching and America's Future to improve education by improving teachers' knowledge and skills: (1) all children taught by teachers with knowledge, skills, and commitment; (2) teacher education programs meeting professional standards; (3) access to professional development and time for collegial work and…

Argues that science may be presented as a continuing effort to improve existing knowledge. Analyzes a three-month discourse by sixth graders, showing that the basic commitments enabling scientific progress can be realized in elementary schools. Suggests that people need to be able to move freely between scientific and other modes of thought to be…

This study with 83 normally developing children (ages 4-6) compared three essential skills in early literacy, letter-sound recognition, letter-sound recall, and letter reproduction. Children performed better in letter-sound recognition than in letter-sound recall and letter reproduction. There were no performance differences due to sex or age.…

This study examined a model of emotional, cognitive, and behavior predictors of peer acceptance in 201 early elementary school students. Findings indicated that social skills mediated the effect of emotion knowledge on same- and opposite-sex social preference. However, social skills and verbal ability were more strongly related to opposite-sex…

A survey of 54 British mental health professionals found respondents were reasonably knowledgeable about childhood sexual abuse. However, they were not very comfortable, competent, or supported in their work with these clients. Less experienced staff were more likely to feel supported. Those who received training and/or supervision felt more…

Examined how varying levels of geographic expertise facilitated reasoning with maps as representations of the earth's surface. Found that geography experts performed significantly better than novices and preservice teachers, and experts' performance was differentiated by the reasoning in which they engaged. Explored implications for understanding…

Issues related to the development of test items to assess pedagogical content knowledge for an elementary school licensure test are discussed. The subject test is the Connecticut Elementary Education Certification Examination. Several items useful for assessing pedagogical content knowledge are described. (TJH)

Children's ability to adopt perspectives and then apply schematic information on-line while listening to stories was investigated in 2 experiments with 59 second graders and 60 fourth graders. Although both subject groups had the knowledge to identify errors, fourth graders were more likely to apply such knowledge on-line during comprehension.…

The passage of Public Law 99-457 has both quantitative and qualitative implications for assessment. Educators working with infants and young children must become more familiar with assessment strategies and limitations including psychometrically sound assessment of complex and controversial family variables, and health and environmental risk…

A college-level introductory psychology course was completed by gifted adolescents. Post-course and remote-post-course measures for the 100 participants and controls demonstrated that knowledge gain from course participation was substantial and long-lived, affecting the quality of the students' understanding, their ability to generalize and apply…

Thirty children, aged 36-83 months, were interviewed to ascertain the extent of their awareness of their orthopedic disability. Parent and teacher interviews determined types and frequencies of discussions about the child's disability. Occurrence of discussions at home, but not at school, was significantly correlated with awareness. (Author/JDD)

Analysis of statements by 869 students and 21 faculty at Queensland University of Technology (Australia) concerning learning, using the SOLO (structure of observed learning outcomes) Taxonomy, identified key concepts in learning in eight categories: learning definitions; factors influencing learning; learning strategies; learning styles; aspects…