After an overview of several studies of cognitive instruction used with problem learners, the article describes two learning mechanisms that explain why such cognitive interventions work--prolepsis (communication that initially leaves implicit some information) and reflective abstraction (changing observables into meaningful internalized…

Analysis of transcripts of nine undergraduate lectures in the humanities and social sciences found that professors used asides and local breaks in topicality to increase global semantic and pragmatic unity, introduce various mutually reinforcing interpretive frames, resolve apparent contradictions, highlight contrast, and establish relevance and…

Offers a group approach method to learning new structures in German. Students practice one pattern by constructing sentences in a simple, mildly competitive board game that can easily be put together by the teacher. (GLR)

The advent of the European Community will cause important changes in European life and create more diversified language needs. The schools must be prepared to respond to this new dynamic, rethinking of foreign language education objectives, renewing curriculum content, and rejuvenating methodology. (Author/MSE)

Suggestions for organizing the objective structured clinical examination for medical students and physicians address selection of competencies to be evaluated, number, type, and duration of examination stations, use of examiners, clarity of instructions, test administration, resource requirements, interstation signals, and recordkeeping. (MSE)

The Helping Relationship Inventory was used to see whether objective improvement in medical student (n=109) communication skills occurred in a relatively brief (nine-hour) small-group course in interviewing. The study demonstrated that even brief small-group interviewing courses can effect a positive change in communication skills. (Author/MSE)

A teacher reflects on his experiences teaching American Indian literature and offers advice to other teachers: (1) clearly defining "Native American literature," noting diversity of Indian nations; (2) teaching works in their cultural context; (3) paying attention to continuance and Native time sense; and (4) being wary of translations. (SV)

Three related studies of the impact of variations in classroom and field experiences on preservice students' knowledge, skill, and reflectiveness are reported. Videotaped and live demonstrations of teaching strategies (the schema-theoretic approach and a conventional approach) and clinical seminars and microteaching were compared. (IAH)

Examines teaching theories and classroom practices of elementary teachers regarding reading instruction. Finds that most held process theories about teaching, made untested assumptions to diagnose problematic classroom situations, and acted by retreating. (SR)

Describes a four-character role-play exercise designed to show how employee and management resistance to change can hinder the implementation of an organizational change effort. The Jefferson Company is an old-line printing firm with new partners that must change its technology, equipment, and operating procedures in the face of increased…

Two potentially exciting elements are missing from the traditional case study analysis approach: opportunity for creative expression and clear focus on a contingency viewpoint in dealing with managerial problems. Computer-assisted scenario analysis emphasizes creative self-expression, a contingency viewpoint, and refinement of word-processing…

This article reviews some ways of differentiating classroom methods for special needs students in Great Britain, including differentiation of content, interests, pace, level, access, response, sequence, structure, teacher time, teaching style, and grouping. The most effective methods of differentiation are felt to be grouping, structure, and…

This paper argues that there is a science of pedagogy based on a science of behavior and that educational researchers have been remiss in ignoring the findings of behavior analysis. Implementation of the comprehensive application of behavior analysis to schooling (CABAS) is described as an effective approach for increasing student learning. (JDD)

Summarizes the six articles included in this special issue, which discuss evaluation of human performance in critical skills occupations; strategic planning for safety in high-risk occupations; performance and training effectiveness decisions; performance indicators for training evaluation; evaluation of a nuclear training program; and a model for…

Describes several approaches to the development of performance indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of safety training in the nuclear power industry. A rationale is presented for a method of generating measures of effectiveness that uses criteria developed by several experts with different viewpoints, and the benefits of this method are…