Using the example of a ten-year-old boy working on a science project, the author discusses the question of when and how much the teacher should intervene and direct a child's independent learning activity. (SJL)

The results suggest that cognitive training specifically designed to promote generalization to classroom tasks can improve the classroom behavior and academic achievement of hyperactive children. (Author)

Described is a research study comparing the achievement of undergraduate biology students in individual investigations with and without written guidelines for problem formulation. The authors conclude that the problem formulation stage is crucial to the success of student investigations. The quality of students problems improved significantly with…

Origins, traditions, and advantages of the "special delivery" schools are described. Home study schools offer individual instruction, relatively modest tuition fees, easy accessibility, and practical specialization. Increasingly, traditional schools and colleges are looking to learn from them. A resource guide is provided. (Author/MLW)

Chemistry sets, often a child's first contact with chemistry, are becoming less attractive to manufacturers as the market for these items decreases. There is a tendency for recently manufactured chemistry sets to be less adequate than those selling in the same price range in past years. Manuals vary in quality among manufacturers. (RE)

Describes an individualized Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) physics program which follows the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) format. The program has a variable-credit option, to provide flexibility to meet students' needs and interest. (GA)

Focuses on one kind of continuity in education by showing that our current interest in self-directed study and lifelong learning is not a new development. (Editor/RK)

History and analysis of library services to adults--educational, informational, and recreational. (LS)

Being able to learn on one's own requires independence of thought and implies that a student be able to develop inquiry and interest without being guided, helped, led, or motivated by a teacher. (JD)

It is shown that Open University students are psychologically able to sustain an independent (i.e., student-centered) program of learning and that the Open University degree structure is sufficiently flexible to incorporate truly independent study into its structure in the form of a project credit. (Author/LBH)

This study investigated the effects of a self-questioning intervention for Israeli kindergartners. Researchers used theory-based interventions (active processing and metacognitive intervention) and traditional methods to facilitate questioning, story comprehension, and self-directed learning. Theory-based training proved to be the most…

Presents a language-awareness (LA) perspective on the concept of autonomy in second-language learning. The article distinguishes between two kinds of LA, examines child development and the role played by metalinguistic knowledge and literacy in first-language acquisition and examines the role played by both kinds of LA in second-language pedagogy.…

Argues for the need to provide students with independent scientific research experiences to explore scientific developments that have changed their world. Enables students to develop minds-on science skills through scientific inquiry. (DDR)

Discusses issues of how lifelong learning, globalization and capitalism are related within late modernity and how an increasingly homogeneous global economy requires a high level of cognitive skills in its workers. Argues that policymakers should encourage life long learning so that it can be easily combined into people's lives. Contains 45…

Describes the simultaneous development of paper-based and digitized versions of a textbook and related instructional material used in an undergraduate, independent study, distance education course at Athabasca University (Canada). Used break-even analysis as an initial evaluation measure to determine cost-effectiveness, and discusses the next…