Arguing that Mother Goose is becoming an endangered species, this paper reports on the results of an informal survey of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a children's literature course. The survey results reported in the paper indicated that some students were able to complete a cloze-type Mother Goose couplet, but others audibly…

This study examined whether familiarity with content influences performance on conditional reasoning problems of the form P implies Q independently of ease of generation of specific examples of "Q and not-P." Results indicated that increased content familiarity resulted in higher performance levels. (Author/JAZ)

The effects of prior knowledge and information orderings on the immediate and delayed recall of unfamiliar information under various levels of control for the effects of cognitive style and reading achievement were studied. Significant interaction effects were discovered. (Author/DF)

Research on the evaluation of World Wide Web sites has already begun, but it is proceeding at a slow rate. The main reasons for this are the attempt to adapt existing methodologies to the particularities of the Web, the individual structure of Webs sites, and the issue of finding the appropriate evaluators. This study addresses these points and…

Prior experience learning often requires new and different kinds of measurement techniques. Methods are described that have been developed to identify and assess the prior experiential learning of adult women from their unpaid work in the home and the community. (Author/PN)

Uses 227 elementary education majors to investigate the effect of past musical training on students' present ability to perform on music achievement test items. Investigates if a difference existed between students with training and those without training, and if a difference existed in the type of training. (Author/AH)

Argues that Piaget's cognitive stage theory complements psycholinguistic theories of fluent reading by clarifying how readers acquire and then use prior knowledge. Suggests that, in this light, teachers may want to rearrange the order and manner in which they present units from basal readers. (FL)

To meet the future's challenges, recommends that community colleges: improve the entry-exit-reentry process, individualize instruction, make open admissions meaningful by combining literacy and occupational education, grant credit for experiential learning, serve as educational brokers, collaborate with community agencies, strengthen student…

Discourse processing involves an interaction of text based processes and prior knowledge. It was shown that college students varied in their relative employment of knowledge-based processes, and that individuals tended to be more "text bound" when they were more "stimulus bound" according to an embedded figures test.…

Presents examples to substantiate the observation that children experiment with and benefit from writing long before they receive formal instruction, and suggests ways for parents and teachers to avoid obstructing this natural and healthy tendency. (HTH)

Argues that acceptance then management of collective knowledge is increasingly important and that individual understanding and views toward the world are less valued. Considers the implications of this perspective for chemistry instruction. (DDR)

The Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction and the American Council on Education College Credit Recommendation Service are national methods of evaluating programs and granting credit for learning acquired through noncollegiate organizations. (SK)

Presents some thoughts on using "dichos" (or sayings of students) to develop literacy skills. Suggests that drawing on the knowledge bases of learners in classrooms not only entices them to participate in the curriculum but also makes the necessary connections between home and school. (RS)

Offers teachers five suggestions for guiding classroom reading practice: (1) develop and maximize prior knowledge; (2) use familiar materials that are interesting and meaningful; (3) model fast, fluent reading; (4) accept all efforts; and (5) expect success of all students. Finds that teachers can facilitate reading as a meaning-making process or…

The Degree of Experience is a program for accrediting prior learning (APL) at a London university. Advantages for students lacking entry qualifications include admission criteria stated in terms of skills, knowledge, and ability (SKA) rather than credentials; accurate SKA profiles for diagnosing weaknesses; and integration of APL into admissions…