This paper discusses the relationship between the mediation of task performance by some structure that is not inherent in the task domain itself and the phenomenon of automatization, in which skilled performance becomes effortless or phenomenologically "automatic" after extensive practice. The use of a common simple explicit mediating…

Argumentation courses, which emphasize the theories of argumentation, and debate courses, which teach competitive debate, can effectively teach critical thinking, training students to see situations from a variety of perspectives and then to evaluate those perspectives for their relative merit. William G. Perry maps out nine stages by which…

Although it has become commonplace in our society for children to take care of themselves for periods of time every day while their parents work, not much is known about the adequacy or effects of these self-care arrangements. Recent studies have reached very different conclusions regarding academic performance, social skills, self-esteem, school…

This publication is designed to present information to the faculty of the University of Missouri on an updated Educational Teleconference System (ETS) which operates from that campus and to encourage them to use that system in future teaching activities. Introductory materials provide a brief overview of the history of educational uses of the…

Before students can use microcomputers effectively, they need keyboarding skills. A project was conducted in Montana to teach keyboarding to fourth-grade children using computer-assisted instruction. Two fourth-grade classes at Hawthorne Elementary School, Bozeman, Montana, participated in an 8-week, 32-session elementary keyboarding pilot…

This document describes the WORDS software, a computer program designed to evaluate a reading disabled student's sight word vocabulary using an Apple II microcomputer. A brief discussion of various methods of addressing reading difficulties precedes a detailed description of the WORDS program and its use. This description covers: (1) the…

In 1974 the course "Outdoor Education" began at the University of New Brunswick for student teachers in training. Since its inception 125 students have laboured, learned and enjoyed the course whose 3 primary goals are to help student teachers (1) choose aspects of the environment to enlarge the scope of a subject, (2) focus attention on…

This teaching guide consists of statements of goals and objectives, teachers' notes and suggested activities, and lists of suggested materials to use in teaching two consecutive secondary-level shorthand and transcription courses. Covered first are the rationale behind each course, evaluation procedures to be used in the course, course time…

A study examined hierarchical relationships among three developmental components of reading ability in grades 1 through 3. It was predicted that semantic skills develop initially, followed by letter identification skills, phonological skills, and visual skills. Reading ability was assessed with a word identification task. The semantic components…

Guidelines for feedback on professional behavior during field work were developed for students during initial exposure to the clinical practice of occupational therapy. Using Likert's Method of Summed Ratings, brainstorming and a review of the American Occupational Therapy Association Field Work Performance Report resulted in the generation of a…

Intended for elementary school reading teachers, this booklet offers insight into the nature of comprehension and suggestions for enhancing children's comprehension skills. The first chapter discusses trends in comprehension research, and several specific points about the nature of comprehension and how it can best be taught. The second chapter…

The validity of the Training Benefit Forecasting Method (TBFM) in a quality-based electronics manufacturing organization was studied. Participants were approximately 75 people involved in the manual production of circuit boards in a division of Control Data Corporation. Five training options to reduce the number of defects produced during…

This document offers a perspective on the use of computers in education to assist California educators with the design and implementation of educational activities that encourage the effective and creative use of computers and computer software throughout the school curriculum. It is organized in six strands, each identifying a basic core of…

Student performance on the 1983-84 Michigan Educational Assessment Program's social studies assessment test is examined. The purpose of the test was to collect statewide sample data on how well public school students in Michigan are learning, based on a selected set of social studies objectives. A random sample of each type of school community in…

This report advocates the use of a process approach in learning about the environment and supports the teaching of responsible environmental decision making skills through an inquiry and valuing focus. Teaching is viewed as a process of structuring experiences, raising questions, sharing activities, and guiding students to the attainment of…