The informal curriculum centering on holidays in elementary education often ignores cultural and individual differences among students. School holiday celebrations may have serious consequences for the following dimensions of schooling: (1) aesthetic; (2) curricular; and (3) socio-emotional. Teachers can provide options for all students by making…

The effectiveness of methods teaching how to identify the main idea of expository paragraphs was tested using 47 remedial reading 6th through 11th graders. Tested were: strategy training; classification training; combined training; and practice only. Strategy training improved performance, while classification training only improved performance…

Discussion of research that evaluates the effectiveness of interactive video used for training in the United States and in the United Kingdom highlights a program developed for the Ford Motor Company. Topics discussed include content-treatment interaction; learning strategies; intermode differences; research criteria; pretest and posttest results;…

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…

Children's magical explanations and beliefs were investigated in two studies. Found that many four-year olds view magic as a plausible mechanism, yet reserve magical explanations for certain real world events that violate their causal expectations. Parents and culture at large may at first actively support magical beliefs whereas peers and schools…

Discusses the changes in art education within the last 30 years and considers their effect on assessment. Briefly touches on theorists and their contributions to the field, including Elliot Eisner, Robert Stake, and Leonard Meyer. Includes a summarized list of art education guidelines. (MJP)

Group leaders who offer affirmations to participants in outdoor education encourage healthy relationships and group cohesion and increase individuals' self-esteem. Personal affirming includes actions and statements that make participants feel comfortable in their environment, support capable work, and encourage behavior change in a supportive and…

Thirty postgraduate librarianship students learned about PRECIS indexing using a system that responds as flexibly and intelligently as a human expert to natural language queries. Interactions were logged and analyzed. The evidence obtained supports the notion that individuals employ distinct strategies when interacting with information sources in…

Describes an undergraduate Psychology of Social Problems course. The course focuses on the psychological aspects of legal abortion for adolescents and women, the consequences of denied abortions on unwanted children, and psychological ramifications of alternatives to abortion. Summarizes student evaluations of the course. (CFR)

Analysis of an adult's self-study of Hungarian pinpoints lexis as the major learning priority. Personalized, real-message practice tasks appeared vital for motivation and for input to become automatized. The crossing of two linguistic thresholds appeared crucial--the gaining of a large stock of word-roots and the ability to read authentic texts.…

Provides an overview of alternatives to whole-class instruction which incorporate limited individualization. Discusses the purpose and process of using tiered activities, learning outcomes/mastery learning, learning centers, cooperative learning, computer-assisted learning, and self-directed learning (including negotiated contracts, journals,…

In response to Stephen D. Krashen, Patsy M. Lightbown and Manfred Pienemann argue that comprehensible input will not always be sufficient to bring about developmental change or increased accuracy in the learning environment. Krashen replies that the research shows that effects of direct instruction are typically short lasting and do not become…

Describes a study investigating the learning styles and personality types of community college and private university students. Identifies three broad types of learners (cooperative, independent, and competitive), suggesting significant correlations between experimenting personality types and learning style preferences. Discusses the role of…

Describes a step-by-step process for conducting a small-group activity for intermediate students of French as a Second Language in which the students are asked to create a print advertisement for a new, nutritious snack. The steps include contextualization, brainstorming, establishing criteria, planning the activity, language, and reflection on…

Research on the study behavior of first-year engineering students compared secondary school science study with that for a core undergraduate engineering course. Results indicated that some traditional students begin study as much at risk academically as nontraditional counterparts; workloads force students to adopt strategic approaches to study;…