In rebuttal to H. Lee Swanson's paper, "Toward a Metatheory of Learning Disabilities," this article emphasizes that a bias toward applied research in learning disabilities is appropriate, that explanatory theories may not provide control over the phenomena explained, and that the field's orientation toward social consensus rather than…

This response to H. Lee Swanson's paper, "Toward a Metatheory of Learning Disabilities," argues that the field's development from social consensus has positive consequences and that the field is a "prenormal' science. A megatheory is suggested, incorporating metatheoretical aspects of the learning-disabled's information processing…

Reviews research conducted to determine if learning to program in Logo has a positive effect on other aspects of thinking, based on Seymour Papert's findings on Logo. The appropriateness of research on Logo and programming is discussed, and research studies involving elementary and secondary school children are briefly described. (LRW)

Emphasizes necessity of reconsideration of adolescent development, for these reasons: the view of childhood has changed; females have not been systematically studied; theories of cognitive development favor mathematical and scientific thinking over the humanities; and because the psychology of adolescence is anchored in separation and independence…

This study was designed to investigate Nigerian elementary teachers' apathy towards use of equipment in instruction and to verify possible links with technophobia. Subjects demonstrated lack of knowledge of educational technology and only slight traces of technophobia. It was suggested that teachers should receive rigorous training in educational…

Discusses how, for several decades, historians and rhetorical scholars have been criticized for their preoccupation with facts, lack of method, theory, analytical rigor, and objectivity; failure to exploit statistical procedures; and wretched writing. A list of remedial works is included. (JD)

Huggins' report lacks serious data collection on college Black Studies Departments, omits the strongest ones, fails to record their history accurately, and does not assess the research achievements of its scholars. Huggins overlooks the importance of applying an Afro-centric perspective to phenomena related to people of African descent. (PS)

In preparation for a National Research Council study updating Gunnar Myrdal's 1944 study, "An American Dilemma," the article discusses the following: (1) history and thrust of the original work; (2) effect of the type of questions to be raised; (3) effect of approach on results; (4) necessity for new view of the gap between the races.…

The article examines: (1) the relationship between group membership and the production of knowledge; (2) comparative versus non-comparative research; and (3) the structure of data interpretation for Afro-Americans versus Euro-Americans. At issue is the lack of blacks involved in the National Research Council's study of blacks. (PS)

The National Research Council's study on the status of black Americans risks enhancing negative policy attitudes towards the black community for the following reasons: (1) its perspective, choice of explanatory variables, and analysis will reflect a majority perspective and conservative viewpoint; (2) it lacks focus; and (3) it is concerned with…

This article is a response to Wainer's comments on a research study representing the first major analysis of factors linked to state differences in Scholastic Aptitude Test performance. (JAZ)

Examines major issues and problems for research on television and its effects on children through a critical discussion of Cullingford's book, "Children and Television," which focuses on ways in which children learn and what they learn from television. (MBR)

Longstreth's critique of Jensen's research on the relationship of IQ to individual differences in visual reaction time (RT), measured in the Hick paradigm, is said to have numerous errors of fact and interpretation, some trivial and some of theoretical importance. (Author/LMO)

Findings that six-year-old children perform substantially better in a conservation of number task if they are asked one question instead of two were upheld when mass and volume materials were used and the age range of subjects was extended to include five- through eight-year-old children. (RH)

This rejoinder to Brown and Weiner (TM 509 074) attempts to resolve areas of apparent conflict and to offer a broad synthesis around the self-worth theory of achievement motivation. The different yet compatible aspects of attribution and self-worth theories in regards to achievement effort are discussed. (BS)