This study examines the effects of different kinds of verbal instructions given by teachers on the performance of young children, investigating whether task performance is significantly affected by small changes in verbal content or in the sequence of components of an instruction. Kindergarten children (48 boys and 52 girls) were randomly assigned…

Two experiments investigating the efficiency of communication between 5th grade children from differing socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds are described. In each experiment, 40 same-sex pairs, half male and half female, were formed into dyadic groupings by combining lower- and middle-SES children into the four possible speaker-listener combinations.…

As distance learning plays an increasing role in adult education, instruction to older adults must be adapted for individual learner differences. Two stereotypic adult education client groups have been described: the SAVY adult (Schooled, Active, Verbal, Younger) and the ONUS adult (Older, Non-Verbal, Unschooled, Sedentary). Instructional methods…

Presented is a discussion of the nature of individual differences in the learning of mathematics, which leads to a review of field-dependent and field-independent cognitive styles. Field-dependence-independence is noted as an important variable in school learning and a study is cited that investigated the relationship between pupil success at…

In order to evaluate how individual characteristics of hospitalized children influence their acquisition of information presented in a film depicting preparation for surgery, 42 children between the ages of 4 to 17 were assigned to experimental and control groups that were matched for age, sex, race, type of surgery and previous hospital…

This study explored student perspectives on their work and play at school and examined why they engage in work and play. Nineteen eighth grade students, who were predominantly white, and of the middle or upper middle class, were the subjects. The students were asked to conduct an interviewer on a grand tour and then various mini-tours of their…

Research has found that differential attributional styles exist between depressed and nondepressed populations. Depressed (N=32) and nondepressed (N=32) undergraduate female students were selected on the basis of scores on the Beck Depression Inventory and Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist. Participants performed a key press task where the…

In the school, concern about individual differences is still reserved almost exclusively for students, while professional personnel are being limited by assigned role functions, role expectations, performance, and criteria. One reason for this situation is that a power elite model of decision making is prevalent in today's schools. Another reason…

This report sets out to describe the emergence of new school design concepts during 1968-1975 in Australia. The report draws heavily on Western Australian sources particularly in the historical perspective prior to the 1960s. However, where possible developments are covered in all states and the two territories. An attempt is made to describe what…

It has been suggested that cognitive style interacts with performance on tasks measuring formal thought. It is hypothesized that cognitive style interacts with task context rather than with the underlying formal thought processes. Experiments are reported to clarify the type of task that elicits an interaction and to determine whether such…

Numerous studies indicate age and sex differences in adolescent interests and self-concept development; however, few longitudinal studies have been conducted outside the area of vocational interests. It was hypothesized that an examination of data from both cross-sectional and longitudinal samples would clarify age and sex differences in the…

Fifty Caucasian, never-married single mothers aged 18-30, who had opted to keep their babies, were studied longitudinally from the last trimester of pregnancy through the first three years of their children's lives in order to learn the extent to which they had reinterpreted traditional roles and responsibilities and had restructured their lives.…

The vocational interest patterns of young unwed mothers were investigated by comparing the scores of a sample of unwed mothers with percentile averages from a national norm group. The interest differences of mothers who gave up their babies and mothers who kept their babies were also examined. Subjects were 53 young unwed mothers enrolled in a…

This booklet is one of a series of teacher-written curriculum publications launched by the Bay Area Writing Project, each focusing on a different aspect of the teaching of composition. The purpose of the booklet is to help teachers, parents, and students understand the provisions of contract independent study and how to start an independent study…

A CITIZENS COMMITTEE FROM THE BASSETT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FELT THAT A CHILD'S INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED AND HIS SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE FOSTERED. SINCE MANY CRITICISMS OF EDUCATION WERE RELATED TO DIFFICULTIES ORGANIZATIONAL IN NATURE, THE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATED SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO…