The following essays are presented in this monograph: (1) "Report on the 1983-84 Ford Faculty Seminar: Fostering Intellectual Growth, A Developmental Perspective" (Nancy Hoffman); (2) "Teachers Observing Teachers" (Francis R. Hart); (3) "Teaching Improvement and Teacher Evaluation" (Howard Cohen); (4) "Course Rhythms, Learning Structures, Teaching…

A correlational study of 62 8th grade, 60 11th grade, and 58 college students investigated developmental differences in learning goals, study strategy beliefs and their inter-relationship for science classes. Questionnaires measured levels of task orientation, ego orientation, and work avoidance, as well as belief in the utility of two types of…

The Personal Adult Learning Lab, part of the Georgia Center for continuing Education, was established to (1) provide the type of learning environment that can support adult learners in their efforts to develop and direct their own learning projects and (2) enable researchers to learn more about the nature of self-directed learning as demonstrated…

In an effort to understand why pictures are used to supplement learning material, a study explored (1) the role of humor in recall, and (2) whether the effects of humor are independent of the individual's ability level. Subjects--students from either the high SAT (approximate average of 1200 points) population (HS), or the low SAT (approximate…

A series of studies was conducted over a three-year period to determine whether the teaching technique developed in the 1960s called "inquiry training" is effective for teaching problem-solving, thinking, and/or decision-making skills. (Inquiry training is a process in which students are provided with a puzzling situation, are given the…

This reference manual is designed for Peace Corps volunteers who are involved in teacher training in developing countries. It is to be used with the Teacher Training Guide that accompanies it. The first chapter discusses differences between the educational systems of the host country and that of the United States. It prepares volunteers for their…

Little is known about the precise nature of the processing, storage, and recall strategies functional in spatial recall. High school and college samples completed tasks in field-dependence-independence, figural creativity, and verbal abilities. Spatial recall ability was assessed through a map reconstruction task in which subjects were required to…

Designed to address the management and use of computer software in education and training, this paper explores both good and poor software design, calling for improvements in the quality of educational software by attending to design considerations that are based on general principles of learning rather than specific educational objectives. This…

A study identified effective teaching strategies by constructing and comparing the teaching profiles of two eighth grade mathematics teachers whose students made significant achievement gains over the school year. This paper describes procedures used to select successful teachers within classroom groups having students with equivalent cognitive…

An analysis is presented of the Hunter Staff Development Model. Suggestions for improving the implementation of the model are based on a review of the literature pertinent to the Hunter model, and a series of interviews with: (1) teachers and administrators who have received training in the Hunter model; (2) a group of Hunter Staff Development…

Previous research by A. I. Schulman argued that an observed systematic decline in recognition memory in long word lists was due to the build-up of input and output proactive interference (PI). It also suggested that input PI resulted from process automatization; that is, each list item was processed or encoded in much the same way, producing a set…

The pedagogical and theoretical questions raised by the notion of using microcomputers in the teaching of literature are covered in this report, rather than the current state of computer use in the classroom. In part, the report formulates basic premises that underly what teachers do in literature classrooms and asks what skills, concepts, and…

Characteristics and practices identified by research associated with improvement in student performance are synthesized. Findings are organized in three sections: the classroom; the school building; and the district. The research base upon which this synthesis is drawn focused upon: (1) school effects research: the whole school studied to identify…

A study was conducted to examine computer programming as a problem solving activity. Thirteen fifth grade children were selected by their teacher from an above average class to use Apple IIe microcomputers. The investigator conducted sessions of 40-50 minutes with the children in groups of two or three. Four problems, incorporating the programming…

Two studies were conducted to clarify some problems in aptitude treatment interaction research, by concentrating on the macroprocesses in reading required by different instructional methods and the macroprocesses available to students. In the first experiment, three reading groups were used, the first receiving adjunct questions, the second also…