Three experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of verbal and imaginal rehearsal strategies in children's discrimination learning. With verbal materials, imaging the referent of the correct item was more facilitative than vocalizing the correct item, as long as the former strategy was defined in a manner conducive to effective…

The Wisconsin model of conceptual learning and development specifies four levels of mastery in the acquisition of a concept. The levels of mastery are defined in terms of performance on tasks designed to measure each level. This paper discusses the internal operations or processes which are inferred as the mechanisms by which each level of…

To determine whether children possess representations and concepts of space before they acquire verbal descriptions of these, children's formation of symbolic representations of space and their acquisition of verbal referents for them were observed. It was found for subjects in the study that conceptual representations of space relations were…

Presented is an arithmetic instructional guide for teaching location and direction concepts to elementary special education students. It is explained that the guide is intended to be used as a supplement to the basic curriculum guide (EC 061 294) prepared by the Opelika, Alabama public schools. Provided is information on using the guide, terms…

This paper presents a method of encoding geometric line-drawings in a way which allows sets of such drawings to be interpreted as formal languages. A characterization of certain geometric predicates in terms of their properties as languages is obtained, and techniques usually associated with generative grammars and formal automata are then applied…

At its national convention, NCTE questioned whether composition can be taught at all. A synthesis of some recent research and theory offers a new perspective from which to analyze the problem and to propose some solutions to it. It suggests that the composing process can be analyzed into its component skills and that these skills can be taught…

Previous research has shown that sequences in which instances from the same category appear successively facilitate performance in concept attainment. This could be due to subjects adopting strategies which involve comparisons of instances from within the same category. However, if subjects were to adopt a strategy involving comparisons of…

This report summarizes four English Language Arts studies sponsored by the Wisconsin Research and Development Center for Cognitive Learning under the project title "A Structure of Concept Attainment Abilities": (1) "Selection and Analysis of Language Arts Concepts for Inclusion in Tests of Concept Attainment," (2) "Items to Test Level of…

The purpose of thinking is to collect information and to make the best possible use of it. Because of the way the mind works to create fixed concept patterns we cannot make the best use of new information unless we have some means for restructuring the old patterns and bringing them up to date. Our traditional methods of thinking teach us how to…

Conceptual problems were administered in two formats, rule learning and attribute identification, to 192 college students. The stimulus patterns were gemoetric designs. Results showed that bidimensional concepts about the patterns were retained nearly perfectly up through periods of one week, without intevening practice. The one exception was…

This paper examines possible interchanges between cognitive and language processes with particular attention given to concept formation and semantic language development. Aspects of psychological and contemporary linguistic theories are discussed as a way to interrelate the functions of thought and language. The author concludes that while…

Physical, mental, and socio-cultural variables were associated with performance on the Life-Science Concept Acquisition Test (L-SCAT), developed by the investigator. The usefulness of the variables as predictors of performance on L-SCAT was also investigated. The L-SCAT was administered as a picture-stimulus structured interview to each of 51…

The growth of indexing services has emphasized the need for more knowledge of the indexing process itself. Consistency is necessary for continuing progress in the field. This study postulates that: (1) definitions of indexer consistency should consist of the indexer's perception of indexable concepts and his choice of terminology; (2) both parts…

The purposes of this study were to determine the feasibility of group testing of conservation and examine the differential performance of students drawn from various populations. The effects of three factors were examined: grade level (2, 4, 6), SES (disadvantaged, advantaged, and race (Black, White, Latin). (Author)

This supplementary report was designed to aid the researcher concerned with concept learning. It contains: (1) rationale and strategy for compiling a bibliography of articles concerned with concept learning; (2) a definition of the world "concept"; (3) a system for classifying articles by their content; (4) a bibliography of relevant articles…