Describes four models of recognition of prior learning (PL): (1) procrustean--PL is made to match predetermined standards; (2) learning and development--PL approximates implicit academic standards; (3) radical--subjective knowledge is recognized as an alternative to dominant forms; and (4) Trojan-horse--PL is seen as socially constructed and…

Examines three theoretical traditions of experiential learning in adult education: professionalism, humanism, and radicalism. Presents a four-level framework: (1) assessment and accreditation of prior experiential learning, (2) experiential learning and change in higher and continuing education, (3) experiential learning and social change, and (4)…

The Congress of South African Trade Unions sought to include prior learning assessment in education and training as a mechanism for redressing inequities. Issues that arose included worker representation in implementation, linkage to accreditation and training opportunities, accessibility, and support and guidance for workers. (SK)

This response to an article by Hyland refutes reservations about educational credit accumulation and transfer schemes and suggests the need for tangible rewards and the personalized ownership of knowledge, skills, and values that credits represent. (SK)

Interest in successful small businesses continues to grow, but is influenced by the different ways in which small businesses are categorised and the difficulty of defining ?success?. There is a range of criteria associated with success in terms of individual owner characteristics, organisational values and performance measures. However, few…

The authors conducted 3 experiments addressing the issue of how observations and multiple sources of prior knowledge are put together in category learning. In Experiments 1 and 2, learning was faster for critical features, which were predictable on the basis of prior knowledge, than for filler features, and this advantage increased as more…

Hypertext learning materials have been employed as major components for designing and implementing educational and training learning environments. However, the design and development of hypertext materials are still heavily based on technical issues or simply designed by intuition. To overcome these deficiencies in hypermedia research, one of the…

This study examined the impact of two epistemic commitments on the quality of college students' scientific reasoning in the domain of hydrostatics. These were the commitment to the consistency of theory with prior knowledge and commitment to the consistency of theory with evidence. Participants were 12 sophomore science majors enrolled in a large…

The use of RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) in higher education to assess RPL candidates for admission into programmes of study met with a lot of criticism from faculty academics. Lecturers viewed the possibility of admitting large numbers of under-qualified adult learners, as a threat to the institution's reputation, or an erosion of academic…

How can the teacher bring about effective cooperative learning (CL) in multiethnic elementary classrooms? To answer this question we hypothesized that when the teacher stimulates pupils' helping behaviour (experimental group), this increases pupils' performance and CL motivation more than when the teacher lets pupils fend for themselves (control…

Cellular respiration and metabolism are topics that are reportedly poorly understood by students and judged to be difficult by many teachers. Although these topics may not be required learning areas in some high school biology curricula, a grasp of fundamental concepts of cellular metabolic processes is advantageous for students undertaking (or…

In this article, the authors argue that content misalignment is "not" a central problem in the preparation of future physical education teachers. The courses taught in most college curricula are generally relevant for professionals who will be teaching movement skills and exercise routines for enjoyment and healthful living to children. However,…

Much research has been done and reform is suggested relating to teachers' implementation of student-oriented learning environments, yet research on the role, beliefs, pedagogy, and knowledge of teachers simultaneously in classroom environments has been minimal (Kyle, 1994, "Journal of Research in Science Teaching", 31, 785-786). This…

We report on responses to a series of four questions designed to identify pre-existing abilities related to debugging and troubleshooting experiences of novice students before they begin programming instruction. The focus of these questions include general troubleshooting, bug location, exploring unfamiliar environments, and describing students'…

In this article, we describe the results of a study of chemistry high school teachers' beliefs (N = 7) of the chemistry curriculum and their roles, their beliefs on the teacher as developer of materials, and their beliefs about professional development. Teachers' beliefs influence the implementation of a curriculum. We view the use of a new…