Critically assesses a 1979 book by Rutter et al. entitled "Fifteen Thousand Hours: Secondary Schools and Their Effects on Children." Argues that the Rutter study fails to provide scientific evidence which is relevant and capable of corroborating its major hypothesis: that there are significant differences between schools. (AN)

Three studies of elementary school children's problem-solving procedures in intentional discrimination tasks are reported. Subjects were children selected from kindergarten and grades 2, 3, and 6. (Author/MP)

It is shown that using formulae for the estimation of sampling errors based on simple random sampling, when a design actually involves cluster sampling, can lead to serious underestimation of error. Jackknife and balanced repeated replication are recommended as techniques for dealing with this problem. (Author/CTM)

A content analysis of responses to the "Circles" test, designed to elicit information about sex-typing, was developed on a pilot sample of 10- to 11-year-old school children. Argues that sex-typed response styles are modifiable psychological characteristics, and that investigations of individual differences in cognition need to emphasize styles,…

Examines the hypothesis that family origins will be of substantially greater import in determining the formation of aspirations than will ability and performance in Brazil. Presents data to evaluate the adequacy of the first stages of the Sewell and associates social psychological model of status attainment for Brazil. (Author/RK)

The single most critical problem in teacher education is the absence of any comprehensive fundamental model of pedagogy which is universally accepted as a point of extension for testing hypotheses, accumulating knowledge, and guiding practice. (MB)

Compared the results of the adult learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) using an inductive approach as opposed to a deductive one based on explicit contrastive analysis (CA) input. It is suggested that a deductive approach that uses CA input in EFL teaching and learning materials is more effective in minimizing error rates. (54…

Examines infants' sensitivity to word units in fluent speech by inserting one-second pauses either at boundaries between successive words or between syllables within words. Results indicate that, by 11 months, infants are sensitive to word boundaries, and that this sensitivity depends on more than prosodic information or prior knowledge. (65…

Explores several aspects of Spanish mood use within the single dialect area of the Texas-Mexico border that exhibits two slightly different varieties of Spanish. Findings reveal an overwhelming variability in mood use in every example studied on both sides of the border. Age does not play any role in mood selection for either group. Other findings…

Tests three hypotheses regarding the use of object relative pronouns by native (NS) and non-native (NNS) speakers of Standard American English: (1) pronoun choice by NNSs differs from that of NSs; (2) "wh", "that," and "zero" are used variably by both groups; and (3) increased exposure to native speaking environments…

This report results from studies that tested two variations of Bloom's decreasing variability hypothesis using performance on successive units of achievement in four graduate classrooms that used mastery learning procedures. Data do not support the decreasing variability hypothesis; rather, they show no change over time. (SM)

Explains the design and implementation of a student research project called Project SunSHINE. Explores the relationships between ultraviolet light and humidity, temperature, cloud type, and cloud cover. (SOE)

Presents an inquiry-based research model for high school students to engage in inquiry learning. Provides students and teachers with a better understanding of inquiry and greater confidence in their critical thinking skills. (Author/SOE)

To enhance the study of abstract knowledge and to make it a central concern in the study of cognition, and to explore the nature of abstractions and the function of abstraction, the seven chapters in this special issue formulate researchable hypotheses, propose working hypotheses, identify major phenomena, and outline possible educational…

Describes study of undergraduates in business communication classes at Arizona State University that was designed to investigate how attitudes affect students' use of microcomputers. Results indicate that students with more computer experience are more likely to have positive attitudes toward computers than those with less experience. (15…