Discussion of user-friendly computer systems focuses on the use of learners' mental models to help in the design of interactive learning systems. Topics addressed include interactivity; human factors research; human-computer interface issues; individual differences, including learning styles and prior experience; cognitive load; measuring mental…

Describes a study that was conducted to examine the receptivity of faculty at two-year and four-year colleges and universities to distance education. Attitudes toward distance education, the influence of previous experience with distance education and with educational media is examined, and barriers to distance education are discussed. (Contains…

Relationships between three approaches to learning (surface, deep, and achieving), prior knowledge of subject area, and performance on a multiple-choice test following a unit in basic psychology were investigated with 105 college freshmen. Approaches to learning were unrelated to test performance. Prior knowledge did not relate to a deep approach…

Reviews previous research to compare the instructional effects of multiple-try feedback (MTF) forms to single-try feedback forms and no feedback in both traditional and in computer-based instruction. Interaction between students' prior knowledge and the number of feedback trials is examined, and future MTF research is suggested. (Contains 59…

This study found no significant relations between junior high school students' (n=50) prior alternative frameworks on energy and their cognitive levels of operation. Significant differences in learning outcomes were achieved by students (n=29) who had higher cognitive level scores. The extent to which students succeeded in learning the energy…

Assessment of career interests in 80 undergraduate students enrolled in a course and practicum on the psychology of mental retardation found no significant changes in career interest from pretest to posttest. Students with prior exposure to individuals with mental retardation (especially as volunteers) reported high levels of career interest.…

A study of 82 Canadian college freshmen investigated working memory, verbal ability, and prior knowledge as predictors of quality of students' lecture notes, lecture summaries, and content recall. Students with higher working memory benefitted more from listening to the lecture than from listening and taking notes. Quality of summaries predicted…

Adult educators are challenged to maintain their commitment to social change as their work is co-opted by the training reform/lifelong learning agenda. Using ongoing reflection on practice, adult educators can challenge that agenda's dominant conceptions of recognition of prior learning. (SK)

Describes a study of college students that was conducted to examine the effectiveness of integrating different computerized visual-presentation strategies in learning different contents; the effect of identical presentation strategies on students possessing different levels of prior knowledge; and whether the use of different visual strategies…

Randomly selected high school students (n=13) who studied an ecology unit were interviewed, and narrative data analyzed for changes in knowledge schema. Data support the current theory that the amount and quality of prior knowledge substantially influence gains in new knowledge and are closely linked to a capacity to apply higher-order cognitive…

Presents results from ongoing research about non-adapted language switches, highlighting a longitudinal study of an adult learner of third-language (L3) Swedish with first-language (L1) English and second-language (L2) German. The study is based on 844 non-adapted language switches. Researchers identified four types of switches. Results indicated…

Discussion of student achievement and persistence rates in science, engineering, and mathematics disciplines focuses on a study of college students that evaluated the joint contributions of academic background measures and other factors, including self-beliefs, toward the explanation of overall grade performance. Describes correlations between…

Discusses how biologists use evolutionary theory and provides examples of how evolutionary biologists test hypotheses on specific modes of selection and evolution. Presents an example of the successful predictive power of one evolutionary hypothesis. Contains 38 references. (DDR)

Investigates the intuitive beliefs held by students (N=2326) about a number of well-known physical events. Finds that the context of the question has a clear effect on the frequency with which different options are selected in physically similar situations. (DDR)

The use of students' out-of-school experiences in science education is part of a wider problem related to the relevance of science in society. States that relevance in science education has not been systematically studied. (DDR)