The characteristics of the skill clusters involved in community living response chains were studied, focusing on the length of the chain, the response classes contained in the chain, and the implicit variations within the chain. Instruction of response chains can be enhanced through consideration of the stimulus control strategies used.…

Argues that a deeper analysis of the affect and how it develops is needed for the design of effective learning activities. Topics discussed include the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives in the Affective Domain; a model of skilled behavior; theories of the development of attitudes and affect; affective objectives for instruction; and instructional…

Describes a five-step approach to performance management which includes (1) redefining tasks; (2) identifying skills; (3) determining what development tools are necessary; (4) prioritizing skills development; and (5) developing an action plan. Presents a hiring model that includes job analysis, job description, selection, goal setting, evaluation,…

Customized skills assessments can perform a number of functions: help training departments demonstrate their effectiveness; provide a foundation for career development programs; reinforce company values; add feedback from the bottom up for performance evaluation; provide a concentrated focus for customer service improvement; and serve as a…

Three experiments examined individual differences in the use of problem-solving strategies. Results provided evidence that the choice and usage of cognitive strategies depended on intelligence, personality, and "intelligence-related" personality traits. Results suggest that the analytical strategy is associated with increased working…

Examines four aspects of whole language (definition, implementation, skills instruction, and assessment) from the perspective of eight school administrators, four building principals and four curriculum directors. Finds the administrators viewed whole language as an instructional approach rather than as an instructional philosophy. (NH)

Educational interventions based on the principles of behavior analysis are highly effective for establishing skills in young children with autism. As a first step in program development, the child's current skill level is determined by evaluating performance on tasks drawn from a preestablished curriculum. However, few specific guidelines have…

This paper investigates aspects of the management of independent secondary school libraries in England and Wales. It is based on a survey of 150 independent school library managers, with a response rate of 68.7 percent, which was carried out as part of an ongoing PhD research project. The paper considers a range of issues important to school…

This article describes Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (TRAILS), a freely available, online tool designed to measure the information literacy skills of high school students. It is based on information literacy competencies for ninth-graders found in the "Ohio Academic Content Standards" (Ohio Department of Education…

The literature on competency-based human resource (HR) management provides a strong case for moving from a jobs-based to a competency-based approach to human resources. There is agreement in the literature (Dubois, Rothwell, Stern, & Kemp, 2004; Lucia & Lepsinger, 1999) on the benefits of using competencies throughout HR systems and impact…

Two longitudinal studies of expert-level cognitive skills and their acquisition are reported. The first study focused on the skill of an otherwise normal subject who increased his digit-span to over 100 digits with 4.5 years of practice using the mnemonic system developed by W. G. Chase and K. A. Ericsson. The second study followed two college…

A study investigated what adults think about the nature of changes in reading ability across the life span. Subjects, 121 undergraduate students at two major midwestern universities and 24 non-faculty employees at one of these schools, were asked to list five or more skills which they thought were important for being a good reader at four…

It is in the superintendent's best interest to have a well thought out formal evaluation plan in place rather than suffer the reality of an informal evaluation--an evaluation that is often based on whim and fancy. In the evolution of the evaluation process, the primary thrust has moved from personal qualities to input measures to, finally, output…

Results are presented of a survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education into the development of teaching skills and abilities of recent graduates of performance based teacher preparation programs and into their perceptions of the characteristics of these programs. The survey instrument was divided into two sections. Section One…