In each issue of "The Learning Professional," Joellen Killion explores a recent research study to help practitioners understand the impact of particular professional learning practices on student outcomes. In this issue, Killion explores the study presented in "The Effect of Teacher Coaching on Instruction and Achievement: A…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine an effective approach to developing university vocational lifelong learning (VLL) professionals as researchers. Design/methodology/approach: Two quite different approaches to developing VLL professionals as researchers were piloted, one involving face-to-face training and the other distance…

Describes a study that examined the relationship between academic ability or aptitude, as measured by grade point average and American College Test scores, and achievement with and without computer-assisted instruction. (15 references) (CLB)

With mounting interest in what research has shown about learning through computer assisted instruction (CAI), several research analysts have recently reviewed the CAI research for the past 20 years. Each review comes up with a set of conclusions that are fairly consistent with other reviews, and the conclusions from six of these studies are…

A literature search identified 39 studies assessing modality preferences and modality teaching. The studies, involving 3,087 disabled and nondisabled elementary/secondary level subjects, were quantitatively synthesized. Subjects receiving differential instruction based on modality preferences exhibited only modest gains. (Author/JDD)

Briefly reviews current research on the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and microcomputers. The Hawthorne Effect and research results for elementary, secondary, and college level students are discussed, courseware requirements are described, and research studies showing positive and negative effects of CAI are listed. (LRW)

Twenty-eight hearing college students were trained on 30 signs from American Sign Language that had been classified as iconic, opaque, or abstract. Students learned and retained iconic signs better than opaque or abstract. A videotaped presentation mode produced greater consistency in scores than computer-assisted instruction. (Author/JDD)

This report describes an investigation of the effect of teaching library and research skills using the "Pooh Step-by-Step Guide for Writing the Research Paper" on the performance of fourth grade students on the reference materials portion of the SRA (Science Research Associates) Achievement Series tests. The random selection of two…

An alternative method for teaching a three-credit, undergraduate library instruction course for students other than library science majors was explored at Southern Connecticut State University. It was believed that traditional methods of instruction--e.g., lecturing in libraries and using paper handouts--were colorless, failed to engage students,…

Describes five studies which investigate the effectiveness of computer use: (1) cost effectiveness in elementary school mathematics; (2) evaluation of computer use in a college chemistry course; (3) evaluating science software; (4) computer-videotape instruction in junior-secondary level mathematics; and (5) comparing microcomputers and flash card…

In 1990 a comparative analysis was conducted of North Dakota student achievement across three forms of distance education: instruction by satellite, audiographic tele-learning, and two way interactive educational television. Based in part on the 1988 study of a German by Satellite program in Missouri and North Dakota, this study mailed…