The purpose of this study was to investigate the achievement and attitudinal effects of navigational behavior patterns and learner option choices in using a hypermedia-based computer-assisted instruction (CAI) unit designed for college students. Also investigated were the effects of two incentive structures on achievement and attitudes, as well as…

This paper examines the impact of the (British) National Curriculum on classroom practices and range of curriculum in small rural elementary schools with varying involvement in school clusters. Small schools (fewer than 100 students) cost more per student and have been under threat for several decades in England as a "rural deficiency…

Employees with mental retardation can lose their jobs because their productivity is low due to an inability to perform their jobs quickly and with a minimum of extraneous movements. This guide presents procedures, borrowed from the business world, that can be used to assist people with mental retardation to improve their work quality and…

This report outlines the role of after school programs (Juku) in preparing Japanese students for high school and university entrance examinations and presents some growing concerns about the movement. Juku plays a major role in insuring the success of Japanese students on tests administered within the country and on international comparisons made…

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of replacing multiple-choice questions in tutorial software practice interactions with a learning strategy (i.e., learner-generated summaries) on immediate recall. Subjects were 35 students--32 females and 3 males--from an undergraduate computer course in the College of Education at…

The concept of an extended school year was first defined in "A Nation at Risk," which recommended lengthening the school calendar to 200-220 days per year (compared to the current average of about 180 days). Little research is available to prove the benefits of an extended calendar, and many question if this practice is a cost-effective…

Illinois State University's teacher education program's professional sequence is organized around separate teaching skills, each of which relates to student outcomes in classrooms. Initially, a group of University High (U-High) Laboratory School supervisors was formed to develop clinical experiences which would enable prospective teachers to…

The impact of the School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) program in Maryland schools was evaluated. The program encourages application of research on planned change to implement one or more of four instructional models: (1) Active Teaching--emphasis on direct instruction, review and discussion of homework, individually supervised…

The learning gap between high school students in the United States and those in many other countries has several causes. First, U.S. students devote a lot less time and interest to learning. A second major reason is parental and school board apathy. Cultural comparisons reveal a lack of incentives for learning accomplishment in the United States,…

A computer-based system was developed for physically handicapped students using a learning laboratory to develop prerequisite skills for regular vocational or technical courses. Among criteria developed for the system were that it should not require manual dexterity, should use commercially available and reasonably priced hardware and software,…

Observations were conducted to document the active academic responding and academic engagement rates of 122 elementary students (30 learning-disabled, 32 emotionally/behaviorally disturbed, 30 mildly mentally retarded, and 30 self-contained programs. Data were recorded in 10-second intervals for each student over an entire school day. During a…

In a project led by Research for Better Schools (RBS), educators work with researchers to improve basic skills learning. Based on research findings relating the amount of time allocated for instruction and student achievement, one school made scheduling changes to reduce the time spent moving from one classroom to another. Other classroom…

This is one of a series of reports which provide definitions of and descriptive data on the variables used in the Comparative Study of Phase IV of the Individually Guided Education (IEG) Evaluation Project. Phase IV investigated three curriculum programs specifically designed to be compatible with instructional programming for the individual…

The three chapters included in this paper establish a basis for organizing future implementations of Project Follow Through. Specifically, chapter 1 identifies four planning objectives for coordinating such programs. Emphasis is given to the need to focus on one fundamental, pervasive variable possibly accounting for program success: time…

Overviews of three studies which focused on achievement as related to instructional time are presented. The first study investigated whether or not time spent in science with fourth and fifth graders (N=86) detracted from learning in more basic areas. The second study examined reading and mathematics achievement in grades 1 and 3 as related to…