Diagnostic assessment is currently an active research area in educational measurement. Literature related to diagnostic modeling has been in existence for several decades, but a great deal of research has been conducted within the last decade or so, especially within the last five years. The author summarizes the key components in the application…

Analysis of definitions of literature by 129 college students of French literature revealed diversity in meaning; little note of literature as "great and good works" of a culture; emphasis on literature as a vehicle for learning about target culture; and little attention to polysemy in literary texts. (MSE)

Intended to help teachers present Indian legends for the maximum benefit and enjoyment of students, this guide provides background information and learning activities for seven legends derived from the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Winnebago tribes. Introductory material discusses the history and purposes of tribal legends and outlines student objectives…

This dictionary of terms from children's literature provides definitions of 325 concepts and principles that will help librarians and teachers give meaning to literary works being introduced in the classroom. The book's alphabetical organization of terms facilitates access to information when the reader is considering a specific term. All of the…

The best learning results from experiential learning, the interplay between theory and experience. In experiential learning, the student is in direct touch with the realities being studied. It involves not merely undergoing the experience, but also doing something with the phenomenon. Theories of experiential learning include: (1) learning how to…

The author traces autism from recognition of the disability by E. Bleuler in 1906 to the present, noting changes, similarities, and differences in the copious amont of research. After a poem by Neil Diamond and a glossary of terms, the author describes the views on autism held by E. Bleuler, L. Kanner, L. Bender, M. Mahler, F. Kallmann, B.…

A definition of bibliotherapy, who should conduct it, when and how it can be used, and some limitations are briefly addressed. Identification, catharsis, and insight are described as the three processes taking place in bibliotherapy. A list of techniques for accurately determining the needs of students, basic procedures in conducting…

The purpose of this study was to describe international perspectives concerning terms, definitions, and meanings of adapted physical activity (APA) as (a) activities or service delivery, (b) a profession, and (c) an academic field of study. Gergen's social constructionism, our theory, guided analysis of multiple sources of data via qualitative…

A review of the literature on human resource development (HRD) and HRD programs is presented. Topics include: (1) two definitions of HRD (Nadler 1983 and the American Society for Training and Development); (2) an analysis of those definitions; (3) the importance of HRD to organizations and individuals; (4) descriptions of types of HRD programs…

Defines games, instructional games, and computer instructional games; discusses several unique capabilities that facilitate game playing and may make computer games more attractive to students than noncomputer alternatives; and examines the potential disadvantages of using instructional computer games on a regular basis. (MBR)

Considers nature of learning; significance of promoting learning rather than teaching; active nature of learning from experience; role of simulations and games in promoting learning; process of debriefing and its relationship to reflection; and teacher role. The Learning System, which relates general systems theory to process of learning, is…

Considers nature of debriefing, its central importance in experience-based learning, and its relationship to briefing, as well as debriefing's purposes, their relationship to different types of knowledge being processed, and various ways to organize the process. Suggestions to make the debriefing experience more effective are presented. (MBR)

Definitions of computer literacy, educational planning concerns, topics for a computer literacy course, computer literacy for teachers, and a community computer literacy project are addressed in this review of literature. Although no agreement exists among computer experts about what computer literacy is or should be, it is apparent that a…

This monograph describes industry at a point in time from the perspective of the faculty in Industrial Education at the University of Minnesota. Section 1 describes the effort to define industry from the perspective of the industrial, business, and economic literature. The remainder of this section is divided into the two components of analysis…

This broad overview of distance education includes a review of definitions; a nonevaluative look at several distance education programs, both national and international; a discussion of the various modes used to deliver distance education; a description of distance education students; and comments and conclusions. (Author/CLB)