For beginning programmers, inadequate problem solving and planning skills are among the most salient of their weaknesses. In this paper, we test the efficacy of natural language tutoring to teach and scaffold acquisition of these skills. We describe ProPL (Pro-PELL), a dialogue-based intelligent tutoring system that elicits goal decompositions and…

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that dynamic assessment based instruction increases children's learning by using a quasi-experimental research design in Korea. In this study, dynamic assessment is defined as a measurement method of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) as well as the qualitative and quantitative diagnostic information…

Universities have recognized student attrition as a problem for some years, and measures to improve this critical issue are being sought. One such effort used at Lamar University is the Monitored Probation (MP) program. The MP program is a comprehensive early intervention academic retention program intended to assist with the academic success of…

Although substantial literature exists regarding learning with visuals, most consider text the primary channel with varying amounts of visuals explored as a secondary channel. This study considered the effectiveness of visuals-only procedural guides versus visuals plus added text, using visuals as the primary channel and using visuals developed…

This study examined the effects of two training methods (interest-based method vs. traditional method) in improving independent problem solving performance of students with mild mental retardation representing three cultural backgrounds (African-American, European-American and Nigerian) as measured by Edeh Scale of Interpersonal Problem…

Effects of working with the deep comprehension and decoding activities supported by the software created by Brophy and colleagues to enhance literacy skills in young, at-risk children were studied. Subjects were 53 at-risk kindergartners from a public inner-city school (24 in the control group and 29 in the experimental group). The experimental…

Teachers, districts, and states working with the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory have been using a six-trait analytical scoring assessment model for student writing. The six traits are: (1) ideas; (2) organization; (3) voice; (4) word choice; (5) sentence fluency; and (6) conventions. For the last 4 years, the Northwest Regional Education…

In compliance with a state mandate to maintain accountability for matriculation funding, Moorpark College (MC) conducted a survey of new students to assess their satisfaction with the college's student services. A random stratified sample of 400 first-time students were contacted by mail and telephone during May and June 1990, and 295 usable…

A study used pretests/posttests and experimental/control groups to evaluate four business communication skills (BCS) programs conducted with employees at the University of Texas at Austin. Of 91 BCS participants, 86 were women and ages for all participants ranged from 20 to 61 years. Del Gaizo's four levels of evaluation (happiness index, learning…

This study examined the effects of parental training on students' writing scores. Six classes of fourth grade students from three schools were randomly assigned to three experimental and three control groups. Parents of the students in the experimental group attended training sessions and received instruction in the stages of the writing process…

Action research often necessitates the use of intact groups for the comparison of educational treatments or programs. This paper considers several analytical methods that might be used for such situations when pretest scores indicate that these intact groups differ significantly initially. The methods considered include gain score analysis of…

An evaluation system for use with Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I programs has been developed by RMC Research Corporation of Mountain View, California under contract with USOE. The system presently addresses cognitive achievement impact using three statistical designs, each of which may be implemented using either norm…

As part of a longitudinal study evaluating program effects, this report, the second in a series of six, describes the impact of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC) on the institutional policies and procedures of participating Head Start centers and elementary schools up to the time the evaluation study's cohort of children had completed grade…

Third in a series of six, this volume reports findings concerning the impact of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC) on the parents of the evaluation study's cohort of children as well as preliminary findings on the relationship between family characteristics and program outcome variables up to the time the children had completed grade 1. Begun…

A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM OFFERED A COMPLETE RANGE OF INTEGRATED MEDICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES TO REINTEGRATE MENTAL PATIENTS INTO THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM PROPOSED TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CERTAIN REHABILITATION PROCEDURES TO EXTEND AND IMPROVE REHABILITATION SERVICES, AND TO ESTABLISH EFFECTIVE…