An investigation of the interaction patterns of Polynesian and Pakeha (New Zealanders of European extraction) children and teachers in school and play areas of Auckland, New Zealand was undertaken to discover possible ethnic differences in modes of social interaction relevant to learning. Observations of children (ages 2 to 11) and their…

Although the principalship has existed for almost a century and a half, principals' roles are as varied as their surroundings and almost as difficult to generalize about. No part of the principal's role is debated with more fervor than the role he or she must play in the instructional program. As school systems have become more bureaucratic, many…

This book on the aspects of instructional processes focuses on control of student cognitive activity during instruction. Chapter 1 introduces the cybernetic approach to the theory of instruction. It is followed by a chapter on instructional effectiveness and efficiency. The third chapter discusses cognitive processes and thinking. Chapter 4…

To explore the problem of designing an automated system for instruction in programing, and to study the problem-solving behavior of students, computer programs written by 40 college students as part of a CAI course in Algebraic Interpretive Dialogue were analyzed. The self-contained course consisted of 50 tutorial lessons; the analysis covers…

A primary science program was developed over a 2-year period at a Montessori school. The program is intended to encourage creative but logical thought and active participation by the child in learning "hows" and "whys." It teaches the mathematical operations (measurement and comparative notation) necessary to know what to do with scientific…

This practicum was designed to demonstrate the value of Gestalt learning theory in teaching a unit of study on air pollution in Polk County, Florida. Students researched specific viewpoints based upon assigned positions in regard to air pollution (Cattlemen's Association, Florida Phosphate Council, Florida Citrus Mutual, Mid-State Lung…

Specific criteria for the rating of each questionnaire item are stated in detail. The teacher is asked, after reading the questions carefully, to assign each second grade student a rating for every question. This rating should be based on a personal knowledge of the student. The booklet is divided into three sections with section 1 focusing on…

The Problem Panel Project is an instructor-developed, one-semester course in contemporary problems. Based on the inquiry approach, the course is structured for independent research and group work and requires no traditionally-structured daily lesson plans. The course is divided into six procedural points. First, students decide which contemporary…

This presentation discusses the products the South Carolina Department of Education derives from that State's management information system and traces the processes used to deliver those products to local school districts. Emphasis is on a description of the technical assistance the State department of education provides the local school district…

In the planning phase of this ESEA Title III Project, a learning unit was developed to serve as an outline for the first draft of the model. The field-lab approach is stressed in the belief that the "real world" offers a unique learning opportunity, since it includes the "how" of living as well as the inquiry process of…

In this study, the status ordering of a four-man group working on a task requiring discussion and decision was predicted on the basis of status characteristic theory. Two of the group members were white; two were black. They were matched as to age, height, and also on a combined index of socioeconomic status and attitude toward school. The…

Based on a review of 500 sources dealing with change, this presentation sets forth the practical applications of change literature for school administrators. The report concludes that change is a term neither commonly used nor commonly understood, and that ther e exist few scientifically developed (i.e., theoretically based and empirically tested…

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) attacks one of the greatest problems of education--how to get sufficient variety in educational materials to teach each individual without requiring a group of trained personnel to prepare all possible variations. CAI permits individualization electronically. CAI can be used to train problem solving, for drill…

In order to help parents in rearing children, a theory of parent effectiveness was developed. Based on the idea that parents should be honest with their children about the child's behavior, the theory identified ownership of problems and conflict resolution. Children's behavior was defined as being acceptable and nonacceptable to the parent,…

This preliminary report discusses a study designed to test whether improved organizational problem solving could be produced in a school faculty by training in interpersonal communication skills. The training intervention, in a junior high school, used exercises designed to increase awareness of interpersonal and organizational processes. Rather…