Introduces the time window, a construct that characterizes when and how the integration of knowledge occurs, which is fundamental to the development of cognition. Describes the characteristics of time windows, evidence supporting them, factors that affect them, research illustrating their generality, and theoretical and applied implications. (ET)

A project at Denman College (Great Britain) to help volunteers document their community work to get credit for a diploma encountered problems in translating community work into formalized academic definitions and in the range of skill levels among volunteers. (SK)

Uses two poems by William Carlos Williams and John Mitton to point out how students' knowledge of "speech genres" (in this case, the apology) can be drawn upon to show them how much they already know about poetic genres as well as what they can learn from what the poets have done with those speech genres. (SR)

Assesses the impact of prior knowledge on locating information in textbooks. Finds that search efficiency varied with the state of prior knowledge. Finds no group differences in search in a textbook for which there were no systematic group differences in prior knowledge. (RS)

Presents a teaching strategy which uses points of reference (or basic underlying concepts) to help students understand definitions, descriptions, and comparisons/contrasts, and models its use. Notes that understanding the importance of points of reference is one of the first steps in the technique called "knowledge modeling." (SR)

Unreliable assessment practices persist across the country. Regents College has reviewed over 100 randomly selected programs and created a database of assessment programs that use unreliable practices. Assessment processes and academic programs of integrity should be built on consistently valid and reliable principles. (JOW)

Examines relationship between reported imagery and comprehension of main ideas in exposition. Finds that constrained imagery was positively associated with the comprehension of main ideas and followed a similar pattern of growth, and nonconstrained imagery was associated with comprehension failure. Suggests imagery and comprehension were related…

Describes a study that was conducted to examine the instructional effectiveness with which different types of job aids facilitated learner achievement of different types of learning objectives, and to identify the degree to which learners possessing different levels of prior knowledge profited from different types of job aids. (Author/LRW)

An action research method using an action-reflection spiral of development and implementation was used to create a system for accrediting prior learning in nursing education. Key stages of the system are information, advice and guidance, preparation of the claim, and assessment. (SK)

Analyzes Canadian labor education courses and materials in terms of types of training, participants, instructors' objectives, and criteria for success. Concludes that labor education is preparing union members to participate in union and community affairs through the acquisition of transferable skills. (SK)

Describes a study that focused on 21 graduate students enrolled in a hypermedia in education class who constructed concept maps on the term hypermedia. The purpose of the study was to determine whether students created concept maps differently based on their Kolb learning styles and levels of hypermedia knowledge. (Author/LRW)

Results of a study of 120 college students indicated that those who had relevant prior experience with Internet communication technologies had the most favorable perceptions of the usefulness of these technologies and were most apt to use them. Experience and perceived usefulness were the strongest predictors of intent to use them. (Contains 23…

Methods for assessing nonformal learning must have a strong legal and legitimate basis. Institutional design and acceptance of value hinge on these methods. The strength of new assessment approaches will be defined by their ability to provide information. (SK)

An individual differences model of learning from instructional text was tested with 211 Air Force recruits. Results strongly supported the model, which suggests that learning from text is determined by making connections among ideas that include the text and prior learning. Making the connections depends on individual differences. (SLD)

The Adult Returners Key Skills project uses a series of teaching/learning packs to develop key skills (information technology, communications, numeracy, active citizenship). The packs help reentry students become aware of their existing abilities and prior learning experiences. (SK)