Examines the role of nontext social knowledge on elementary school children and college students' understanding of protagonist-antagonist stories, noting some developmental changes in the understanding of these stories based on knowledge of persuasion. (FL)

Illustrates advantages of research on practical factors in reasoning. Discusses role of factual knowledge and diagnosis of specific task-based errors in reasoning, influence of individual aptitudes on reasoning, and effect of educational interventions designed to change reasoning. Presents Piagetian position for each position, discusses evidence…

Explored awareness of hypertension among a sample of Black, urban college students (N=419). Ascertained factors related to awareness of hypertension. Results indicated that the predominant misconception held was that hypertension only affects the elderly. Suggests group counseling methods to increase Black college students' awareness of…

Surveyed high school students (N=268) comparing those who had and had not taken sex education classes. Results indicated that gender identity exerts a significant impact on sexual attitudes and knowledge. Age and grade achievement influence sexual behavior. (RC)

Results indicate that while amount of newspaper reading does not covary with knowledge of city affairs, the reasons why people read newspapers matter. If people read to learn about municipal politics, they tend to be taught. If they read for fun, they learn little. Media effects depend on motives of media users. (PD)

Results are reported from an energy education study in which fifth through ninth graders (N=1,169) from five southeastern states responded to a three-part questionnaire (sociobiographical background, opinion poll, and literacy quiz). Indicates respondents believe that an energy crisis exists and that energy literacy is highest for males and…

Separate predictions for educational attainment were made for the young-old (65-74 years) and the old-old (over 75 years) males and females. Results indicated that educational attainment for the young-old in year 2001 will equal that achieved by the 25- to 64-year-old group in 1971. Examines limitations and consequences of intelligence assessment.…

A controlled trial of teaching clinical biochemistry by the Keller Plan at the University of Otago Medical School is described. The Keller Plan group performed significantly better than the control group on the final examination. (MLW)

Models which describe assumptions concerning the distribution of intellectual capacity are: (1) the differential distribution model, encompassing theories that consider differences in intelligence genetic; (2) the normal distribution model; and (3) the evenly distributed model, focusing on the similarity of intellectual potentials within the human…

This is the housing section of the University of Illinois project, under contract with the Illinois Office of Education, to provide adult educators with a tool for measuring the proficiency of experienced male or female homemakers who seek high school credit in home economics. (MF)

Preservice training that provides for contact with different kinds of exceptional children as well as for lecture discussions about them was found to have an advantage over training limited to lecture discussions in the realm of attitudes and behavioral intentions, but not in factual knowledge. (SBH)

The need for society to bridge the gap between the public and the remoteness of elementary science knowledge is examined. Implications are given for the future of society without improved public education. (SA)

The environmental awareness of village and rural children in Ghana differed from that of urban children. This study explores the knowledge of some Ghanaian children about water and full resources and their relationship to local development issues. (Author/RE)

Compares responses of preservice and current elementary teachers in Indiana on the Ecological Attitudes and Knowledge Test. Results indicate that preservice teachers possess more positive attitudes and higher knowledge scores than current elementary teachers. Confirms geographical nonspecificity of the test by comparing results with an earlier,…

Recent research in the area of prose comprehension is reviewed, including factors that affect amount of recall, representations of text structures, and use of world knowledge to aid comprehension. The need for more information processing models of comprehension is emphasized. Elaboration is considered important for comprehension and retention.…