Nonword spellings were obtained from children in kindergarten through third grade in a study of the development of young children's phonological and orthographic knowledge. Results indicated that young children's nonword spellings reflected the joint influences of linguistic knowledge and psychological processes. (GLR)

In instructional design for higher education, it is important to the success of all students to take into account the differences in individual learning styles. Research indicates that different student populations have characteristically different approaches to learning and that teachers can use patterns of effective practice to foster success…

Measured the social and academic adaptation of 45 sibling pairs in grades 2 to 5 and compared the results with similar data obtained for randomly selected, unrelated pairs matched on sex, grade, and classroom. Significant similarities were recorded among siblings in their peer relations, academic performance, and behavioral adjustment, whereas…

A model is proposed for the influence of individual differences on performance when computer-based technology is introduced. The primary cognitive factor driving differences in performance is spatial visualization ability. Four techniques for mitigating the negative impact of low spatial visualization are discussed: spatial metaphors, graphical…

The author recounts his experiences investigating alleged fraud by Cyril Burt (1976) in his work on the genetic foundations of human intelligence. The evidence fails to prove Burt guilty, and his assertions about the genetic factors of individual differences in intelligence are finding corroboration in contemporary psychology. (SLD)

Unintended effects of evaluation are discussed, with reference to the Hawthorne Effect, where unintended effects overshadow the manipulations controlled by researchers. Unintended effects are categorized as (1) affective reactions; (2) political dimensions; (3) importance of individual differences; and (4) expectations concerning evaluation.…

Magnetic resonance imaging was used to demonstrate that larger brain size (corrected for body size) was associated with higher intelligence quotient (IQ) for 40 right-handed college students grouped by high and average IQ and sex. Results suggest the relevance of brain size to intelligence test performance. (SLD)

Ways in which studies in second-language acquisition research can illuminate first-language acquisition research are explored. Emphasis is on issues of learner strategies, individual variation, acquisition of late learned structures, bilingualism, Universal Grammar, and the fate of obsolete knowledge in acquisition. (64 references) (Author/LB)

A model-based modification of the standardization index based on a multidimensional item response theory bias modeling approach is presented that detects and estimates differential item functioning (DIF) (item bias) simultaneously for several items as well as differential test functioning (DTF). This SIBTEST procedure is tested through a computer…

Examines existing data on biological diversity among Americans of African descent within the contexts of their evolutionary backgrounds and political and economic realities. Explores the origins of the diversity, and provides an evolutionary and political economy synthesis for evaluating the biological distinctions apparent among African…

Following a presentation of Rita and Kenneth Dunn's learning styles model at a NAESP convention, staff at a South Dakota elementary school began teaching students according to their own perceptual strengths. This article profiles teachers' efforts and presents an observation checklist for preparing individualized learning style inventories and…

The emergence of computerized adaptive tests (CATs), which customize assessment for each individual, may mean more efficient testing. A CAT version of the Graduate Record Examination is in production. Critics have many questions about the technique, which is based on item response theory. (MSE)

Provides an overview of research on individual user differences and relevance in information retrieval. An experiment with a two-stage information retrieval system, using a topical set of document representations produced by a Boolean search and a citation profile is described. Implications for information retrieval are explored. (Contains 32…

Quantitative growth curve models for estimating individual developmental functions from various types of longitudinal data are discussed in the context of investigator assumptions and research design characteristics. Linear and nonlinear models that estimate growth curves are illustrated, and contrasted when they are fit to speech development…

Eye movements of 12-week-old infants were recorded in a visual encoding experiment. Results showed that infants who encoded more slowly scanned less extensively over the stimulus and engaged in prolonged fixation. An experiment with two-week olds showed significant age differences in the manner of visual scanning. (BC)