The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three levels of learner control (no control, moderate control, and high control) on the achievement and continuing motivation of Hispanic students. Two weeks prior to the experimental part of the study, 101 seventh and eighth grade Hispanics were pre-assessed along an internal-external…

One hundred freshmen students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine were surveyed using the Lancaster Approaches to Studying Inventory to determine if the success of students at a highly selective combined baccalaureate/MD degree program is affected by their different approaches to learning. Analysis of the survey…

A study skills course offered through Project Start, a summer program for high-risk incoming college freshmen at Ball State University, Indiana, is described. While primarily designed for students who were denied regular admission because of low high-school rank and low Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, the program also allows previously…

This study was designed to identify characteristics of college freshmen taking mathematics courses. Students enrolled in basic algebra courses at a regional campus of a large midwestern university participated in the study. Students were administered an instrument which included a "math autobiography," the Adult Mathematics Expectation Scale…

In consecutive quarters, two studies were conducted at a two-year vocational/technical college to determine how different goal structures within the learning environment could influence student expectations, achievement, and perceptions of the causes of learning outcomes. The first study investigated three goal structures (i.e., cooperative,…

Developed to help the home visitor build an effective home-based program for Head Start children and their families, this handbook is intended to serve as a blueprint for parent-focused home visits that assist the child and family to meet their full potential. The first chapter lays a foundation for the program that includes a home-based…

Adventure games designed for use on home computers are a potentially powerful instructional resource in English as a second language because they promote problem-solving using the target language and are highly motivating to students. The games, whose objective is usually for the user to defeat an obscure force and recover a precious object, are…

In light of the current increase in elementary and secondary school attendance coupled with a simultaneous decrease in college-age population between now and the end of the decade, this study assesses (1) the role of economic factors in determining the number of teachers certified and (2) the responsiveness of teachers in the "reserve pool" to…

Catholic educators want students to do their best academically and become good Catholics. Challenges that make this goal difficult to accomplish include a changing environment within the Catholic school: staffs that were almost entirely composed of priests or religious are now almost entirely lay, and the tension between the school as an…

English literature survey courses can and should be taught as part of junior and community college curriculums. However, since students in any one course may have different levels of learning and ability, it is important to structure courses so that students do not face tasks that they are unable to successfully complete. Teachers should be aware…

Developed to help students learn to read for purpose as well as for pleasure, these study units involving individual novels can be used as one-month or nine-week units, depending on the number of books assigned and the ability of the students. Test items and answer keys are provided for 28 titles, which include "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young…

The need for remedial English education among college freshmen has increased, and there exists no standardized approach to proficiency assessment and placement among institutions of higher education. After completing freshmen English courses, 922 students attending a four-year university were assessed to determine accurate variables for use in…

Semantic mapping, which involves the application of vocabulary meanings, increases cognitive processing, and develops the cognitive structure, is recommended for use with literacy students in adult learning centers. Semantic mapping can be used as a prereading or prewriting stimulus, or as a postreading check of comprehension. Also, developing…

This treatise on teacher education includes priorities for higher education and agendas for the next president and Congress, governors and state legislators. A discussion is included on priorities for reform in teacher education. Progress in campus-based teacher education programs is noted in the areas of raising academic standards, applying…

This paper demonstrates the use of teacher-made and parent-made instructional games to practice basic skills, as an alternative to traditional homework assignments. The game formats provide mainstreamed mildly handicapped students with the additional practice necessary to achieve mastery, in an environment that is more motivating and allows for…