A major focus of the psychology of instruction is understanding and facilitating the changes in cognition and performance that occur as an individual moves from low to higher competence in a domain of knowledge and skill. A new program of research which examines the initial state of the learner as a component of this transition in competence is…

The intent of this handbook is to illustrate the relation between teaching and testing and to demonstrate how they can promote student learning. The first section, "Foundations," offers a discussion of broad ideas about teaching, learning, and testing, and their interrelationships. Chapter one describes generally the kinds of things that…

A study was conducted to identify and verify the professional competencies needed by extension agents in Florida. Closed form opinionnaires were used to survey 254 extension agents and fifteen state staff members concerning 158 competencies. Among the findings was that state staff members rated all competency categories higher than did incumbent…

Three experiments were undertaken to examine the processing limitations that underlie multiple task performance and, ultimately, to test the theory that there exists a time-sharing ability which is general and can be assessed through the simultaneous presentation of any two or more sufficiently demanding tasks. Subjects were males and/or females…

This paper presents formats for activities and sources of materials which focus on developing students' listening skills and their awareness of the steps in the listening process. The activities are intended for the early stages of language learning and are divided according to their appropriateness for intensive or extensive listening. Intensive…

Based on ten years of testing a skill building strategy with graduate students, this manual attempts to provide a knowledge base in community leadership, a schema for theoretical discussion, and opportunities for group interaction and critique. The conceptual skills developed in the strategy include the ability to screen information, identify…

This report focuses on how students across the nation, of three different ages--9, 13, and 17--revise their own writing. The report is based on detailed analyses of two writing assignments: the first required 9-year-olds and 13-year-olds to write and revise a school report about the moon, and the second required 17-year-olds to write and revise a…

The basic purpose of the study described here was the identification of competencies (skills) of principals of normal schools in Turkey in order to put together effective competency-based training programs for school administrators. Competencies were identified and ranked according to evaluations (perceptions) of the principals themselves, their…

The report presents a brief summary of the development and application of a taxonomy of undergraduate pilot training (UPT) tasks and skills. A surface analysis format based on cues, mental actions, and motor actions was developed which described flying tasks in terms of the sequential elements within each task. A set of classification rules was…

Performance tests are used in training evaluation to (1) certify student achievement, and (2) diagnose weaknesses in the instructional system. Proficiency measures that focus on task outcomes (product) normally provide data relevant to the first purpose, whereas measures of how the tasks are carried out (process) pertain to the second. Time or…

Generic skills are those overt and covert behaviors which are fundamental to the performance of many tasks and subtasks carried out in a wide range of occupations and which are basic to both specialized applications and job specific skills. They consist of academic, reasoning, interpersonal and manipulation skills. The generic approach is…

The standard for grading jobs under the Federal Wage System covers nonsupervisory work involved in handling, marking, and preparing displays of merchandise or other items for selection by customers. This requires skill in observing, counting, and maintaining stock levels, and in matching names, codes, numbers, or sizes of items on shelves to lists…

A job grading standard for Wood Worker WG-4604 is given for grading jobs under the Federal Wage System. The standard covers physical requirements, tools, job task, skills, and knowledge at three grade levels, and the limits placed on the requirements at each level. In general the wood worker makes and repairs such supply shipping, and storage…

Critical factors in the phenomenon of scientist's and engineer's transition from working as specialists to working as supervisors or managers were studied among 489 employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Institutes of Health to discover ways of avoiding or overcoming transition problems. Bench scientists…