The effects of using the Embedded Story-Structure (ESS) Routine in a literature course were investigated. A heterogeneous group of 79 ninth graders, including 14 students with LD, were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, with instruction occurring in groups of 12 to 14 students in general education literature classes over a nine-day…

This paper explores the public awareness that there presently exists a crisis in mathematics education and a "dumbing down" of the curriculum, examines the nature of this crisis and argues that there has been a lowering of cultural, pedagogical and cognitive expectations with respect to most learners. The notion of cognitive development in…

This article explores the nature of self-study of teacher education practices by examining what self-study is and how it might be conducted and reported. In working through these ideas, the article makes an argument for the need for learning through self-study to be documented in ways that might not only be accessible to others but also meaningful…

The theme of the 38th meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME 38) and the 36th meeting of the North American Chapter of the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA 36) was "Mathematics Education at the Edge." Academically, the theme provides opportunities to highlight and examine…

Basic and integrated science process skills form the basis for inquiry-based, hands-on learning. This study explores conditions that are essential for students to master the process skill of prediction. The following question is asked: Is there a significant difference between kindergarten students' prediction ability using hands-on objects…

Memory work has potential usefulness as a method of helping students explore their relationship to science. Students have multiple early experiences with the natural world, but often these experiences are divorced from their school-based learning. It is known, however, that students use their informal experiences of the natural world in their…

Communication teachers can use magic in the classroom to teach the selective nature of the communication process and principles of general semantics. Since magic "works" due to perceptual limitations, selective perception can be illustrated through various magic effects. Magical effects where the secret is apparent to everyone in the…

An experiment compared solving of operational and diagnostic problems after different instruction about a fictitious device. Solution of both kinds of problems was facilitated by instruction (1) that focused on functional relations among components of the device or (2) that focused on states of the individual components. For operational problems,…

This review of the literature examines the effectiveness of instructing students in various test-taking strategies, particularly in reference to multiple choice questions. Among findings reported are that while test-wiseness strategies may be taught, these strategies have limited generalizability across exams and learners who proactively process…

Metacognition has received recent attention by researchers and teachers alike because of the possibilities for successful instruction and intervention for readers at all levels. This paper explores the area of metacognition as it relates specifically to reading comprehension. The paper addresses six areas: (1) the definitions of metacognition,…

A study examined grades on speech assignments in a college public speaking course as a function of students' preferred learning strategies and expressed learning motives. Subjects, 112 undergraduate students enrolled in the basic public speaking course, had their levels of communication apprehension and motives for learning measured early in the…

This document consists of a number of figures and diagrams suitable for overhead transparencies that illustrate and elaborate on the prnciples of failure-oriented training (a model for improving the effectiveness of instructional analysis). By adding a few simple steps to analysis, the resulting training will be closer to the idealized tutor:…

Music has an important place in the lives of many people as shown through this compilation of descriptive statements on music. One hundred and three people responded to a request from music educators to share their thoughts about how music has influenced their lives. Comments of leaders in entertainment, government, and business are contained in…

This report reviews a practicum designed to study and address problems of the physical play environment of a preschool which served children of 2 to 5 years. The goals of the practicum were to: (1) increase the amount of time children spent in physical play activities; (2) enhance the play environment by the addition of at least 10 pieces of…

Andragogy continues to generate discussion and capture the imagination of many adult educators. However, early critics have been joined by an increasing number of educators, researchers, and practitioners who question andragogy's theoretical and practical efficacy. This article reviews the nature of the andragogy debate and advances a revised…