Describes the model for decision making used in inferential statistics and real-world applications that parallel the statistical model. Discusses two activities that ask students to write about a personal decision-making experience and create a mock trial in which the class makes the decision of guilt or innocence. (MDH)

Discusses cable television subscribers' perceptions and consumption patterns of television news and describes a survey that compared broadcast and cable television news viewing habits. Media dependency and media consumption are considered, attitudes toward news sources and the perceived monetary value of the Cable News Network (CNN) are studied,…

To test the Lewis and Mayer simulation model (1987) for understanding compare problems, 3 experiments involving 39 college students and 15 third graders used registration of eye movements. Two experiments somewhat support the model, suggesting it holds true only when the task puts cognitive demands on the subject. (SLD)

Defines playfulness in human-computer interactions in terms of flow theory and explores the dimensionality of the flow concept. Two studies are reported that investigated the factor structure and correlates of flow in human-computer interactions: one examined MBA students using Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet software, and one examined employees using…

Discussion of computerized adaptive testing focuses on a study of graduate students at Indiana University at Bloomington that examined three kinds of computerized adaptive testing procedures to determine their psychological impact and how they may affect test performance. Previous research is reviewed, and further research is suggested. (28…

Adherence to the arbitrary 0.05 level of significance as a benchmark for decisions about publishing research largely accounts for the popularity of one-tailed hypothesis tests. Effect size estimates, accompanied by confidence intervals or exact two-tailed probabilities, are generally more compatible with the growing meta-analytic view of social…

Examines children's ability to formulate testable hypotheses, both from a theoretical viewpoint and from results of a British study of responses to an assessment instrument. Addresses implications for science education and difficulties in judging whether a child has demonstrated the skill. Concludes that evidence presented by teachers about…

The problem-solving behaviors and genetics concepts employed by experts and novices during interaction with the computer simulation CATLAB, were examined. Thirteen subjects (3 experts and 10 novices) investigated a common hypothesis on a specific genetic trait during the computer activity. Using naturalistic research methods, general patterns of…

Addresses three issues concerning the assessment of the overrating and underrating of academic competence: (1) the impossibility of separating effects of overrating and underrating from effects of perceived and actual competence; (2) the questionable validity of Connell and Ilardi's method; and (3) the proposal of a new method and its implications…

Describes an analysis of transaction logs of the online catalog at the University of Missouri-Kansas City that examined patron use of both controlled and uncontrolled vocabulary subject access during the same search session. Hypotheses tested are discussed, and recommendations are made for library instruction and online catalog design. (six…

Describes a study of electronic support of face-to-face group meetings that was conducted with undergraduate and graduate students. Strategies used by groups to distribute control, determinants of which members took control, and the consequences of control strategies were examined. (Contains 38 references.) (LRW)

Reports on a study of college computer-science students that investigated possible benefits and shortcomings in the learning outcomes of novices who use a case-based hypermedia instructional environment. Highlights include cognitive-flexibility theory, influence of epistemic beliefs on student learning, experimental hypotheses, and results of…

Reports on an experiment in which detailed logging of the use of experimental information systems was used to determine the optimal configuration of the systems for users. Results suggest that systems can be created for users by analysis of the interaction of design features with personal characteristics such as cognitive abilities. (Author/LRW)

Investigated the acquisition of base-generated topics in Mandarin Chinese by British students learning Chinese. The hypothesis is not confirmed that it would not be difficult for English speakers to acquire the base-generated topic in Chinese because in the acquisition of Chinese, English-speaking learners are exposed to positive evidence of…

Focuses on the similarities and differences between the rhetorical structure of some Slavonic and English scientific texts. The study tests the assumption that scientific discourse has universal features that are language-independent. Results point to differences between the two types of rhetorical patterns resulting from cultural and academic…