A study compared scores on identical tests in internal medicine for two groups of graduating University of Toronto (Canada) medical students: those in a traditional, lecture-based curriculum (TC) and those in a redesigned curriculum with less didactic instruction and more clinical experience (NC). All comparisons showed a significantly higher…

Investigates geography knowledge in junior high through undergraduate college level males and females and reports males out performed females in all aspects of geography knowledge and map skills. The gap widened with increased education and was still significant after accounting for numerous personal information items. Knowledge-based and…

University students in two advanced introductory psychology courses were offered simultaneous enrollment in a community service-learning course. Students selecting the option did not differ from nonparticipants demographically, or in self-reporting personal development gains or final grades, but did report enhanced ability to apply concepts…

A survey of 523 special educators in Missouri examined their knowledge level concerning traumatic brain injury (TBI). Results indicated a low level of knowledge pertaining to the definition and criteria for TBI and high interest in learning more about characteristics and instructional practices. Workshops and guest speakers were the vehicles which…

Discusses the rationale and criteria for developing "Telegram," an electronic grammar database for English-as-a- Second-Language teachers in Hong Kong. Describes the importance of explicit grammatical knowledge in effective language teaching, and describes the design criteria for "Telegram," which aims to provide a body of…

Presents the results of a study suggesting that economic knowledge, whether measured by a general score or knowledge of a particular issue, is the most consistent and influential factor affecting public opinion. Surveyed a broad range of participants concerning five complex issues of economic policy. Includes questions, tables, and statistics.…

Reports on the results of an experiment testing 58 elementary school students tasked with chronologically ordering a set of nine historical pictures and thinking aloud about their efforts. Provides increased evidence regarding the kind and sources of children's historical knowledge and how they deploy that knowledge. (MJP)

Determined best practices for enhancing preservice teachers' knowledge of gender equity and use of innovative instructional methods for developing classroom democratic social values. Found that development in understanding and application of appropriate, equitable classroom practices emerged over a semester in which preservice teachers were…

Explores changes in teacher knowledge through curriculum reform in the middle grades. Summarizes middle school reforms across the core subject areas, how some of the recently developed mathematics curricula have been used to improve student learning and enhance teachers' content knowledge, and analyzes responses from teacher interviews on one such…

Rethinking and expanding the theory of change underlying systems of care are recommended to support development of the knowledge base for understanding what systems of care can be expected to accomplish. Three domains of knowledge are presented as necessary to understanding the relationship between systems-level change and services. (Contains…

This study gathered data on orientation and mobility services from questionnaires of 15 Iowa teachers serving visually impaired students and 11 supervisors of vision programs. Results indicated a lack of knowledge on the subject, a recognized shortage of qualified staff and services, and a need for students' skills evaluation. (PB)

Early intervention professionals (N=95) rated their own knowledge and skills in 16 areas of competency. The paper analyzes the distinction between knowledge and skills, identification of item clusters, and changes in ratings over time. Findings provide partial support for the usefulness of self-ratings in the context of inservice education. (JDD)

Surveyed elderly persons (N=l,224) aged 60+ to determine social network ties and awareness of available services. Found following factors predictive of service awareness: having nonkin advisors; club membership; other community agency contacts; and availability of transportation, education, and moderate-sized kin networks. Found following…

How prior knowledge influences short-term non-verbal and verbal memory and long-term retention was studied in 32 seventh and 32 eighth graders of high and low reading ability. Greater knowledge of the text's subject resulted in improved recall and retention. No interactions were found between prior knowledge and reading ability. (SLD)

A study investigated medical school faculty and student knowledge and perceptions of group dynamics in the context of problem-based learning (PBL). Observation of 27 first-year medical students and 3 faculty in University of Toronto medical school PBL groups revealed a generally low awareness of effective group dynamics. Comprehensive medical…