This study examines the predictive utility of students' motivation (self-efficacy and task values) to their physical activity levels and health-related physical fitness (cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength/endurance) in middle school fitness activity classes. Participants (N = 305) responded to questionnaires assessing their self-efficacy…

Described is an activity designed to make the concepts of experimentation, independent variables, and dependent variables easy to understand by using observable characteristics of several rods to illustrate these concepts. (DS)

Presents a classroom demonstration illustrating the connection between spread and Pearson's r. Discusses different factors that may result in an increase, decrease, or no change in r. Describes an exercise using decks of playing cards to generate hypothetical data on variables of intelligence quotient (IQ) and grade point average (GPA). (DK)

Investigated variables related to 661 adolescent girls' participation in physical activity. Results showed socializing agents and socialization situations appeared to be more influential than personal attributes, although movement satisfaction and self-confidence were important for competitive sports. Amount of equipment available was a crucial…

Describes an activity that introduces students to the use of database software to collect and interpret data. Asks middle school students to collect personal information regarding their dominant hand, eye, and thumb. Students use FIND and AND commands to create tables and respond to questions related to the data. (MDH)

Because leisure activities may predict adult accomplishment better than factors such as intelligence and school grades, the construct validity of the Tel-Aviv Activities Inventory, a measure of leisure activities, was evaluated with 934 junior/senior high school students. Results support the instrument's usefulness for career counseling with…

High-ability students in grades 3-8 received lessons in organizing a creative investigation and were then compared to control students not receiving the lessons. The most important variables predicting whether the student initiated a creative investigation were membership in the experimental group and pretreatment self-efficacy scores for creative…

Describes a project in which fingerprint patterns were identified and analyzed to determine whether any positive relationship existed between pattern type and academic ability. (LS)

This article reports the results of a preliminary study that applied a randomized posttest-only design to evaluate the effectiveness of a literacy curriculum that incorporated explicit opportunities for Spanish-speaking Head Start preschool children (N = 76) to develop writing abilities in English. The study also addressed English language…

The SVIB was administered to the entire freshperson class at a midwestern college for women. Results showed leaders responded "like" to about 90 percent of the scale items, whereas nonleaders responded "like" to only about 10 percent. The scale is designed to assist counselors in aiding women to plan their extracurricular…

The effectiveness of a set of curricular activities and differing group experience in facilitating interdependent task structuring by seventh graders were examined. No significant differences were found among the experimental groups, but they structured the task and behaved more cooperatively than the control group. (Author/MH)

This teacher's guide is part of a program of activities that help secondary-level students develop the complex thinking skills needed to succeed in science. This program can be used with current curriculum materials. It is designed to help students integrate ideas and develop concepts that demonstrate higher level thinking. A rich environment of…

Uses the various strategies involved in baseball to illustrate basic concepts in game theory. Specifically discusses Willie Mays' base-stealing strategy and how it relates to probability and risk. Reminds students that expected results depend on adopted assumptions. (MJP)

Thirteen predictors of self-reported high school leadership were investigated using data from the Project TALENT sample of high school seniors. The high school leader was characterized as mature, interested in business management, self-confident, socially sensitive, vigorous, and having high socioeconomic status. Cognitive variables were not…

This study examined alumni giving as related to undergraduate involvement, student housing, academic success, and satisfaction with the education received. Two hundred alumni donors from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale's College of Education were surveyed, with a 70% response rate. The study found that alumni donors had not been as…