The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences between males and females on locus of control, if experimental instructions differentially affect the performance of internals as opposed to externals, and if locus of control differentially influences performance on distinct types of aptitude tests. The Children's…

The relationship between field dependence-independence (FDI) and the ability to read and comprehend printed text was examined in this study. The effect of the structure of instructional text on the learning process of individuals at various points on the continuum of FDI was also studied. The following hypotheses were developed: (1) there would be…

This study was conducted to investigate whether increased levels of state anxiety are associated with microcomputers. Participants included 116 undergraduate and graduate education and library science students with an age range of 20 to 55. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Form Y, was administered to a control group (N=58) and an experimental…

The study examined the efficacy of familiarity and positive verbal reinforcement in improving intelligence test scores of 48 third-graders who were low scorers on a previous test. The Quick Test was used to screen subjects, with a 90 IQ score being the criterion for inclusion in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups. The…

Describes study of 315 secondary school students that investigated their reactions to computerized testing and assessed the practicability of this testing method in the classroom. Two versions of a standardized aptitude test battery used are described, one computerized and one printed, and a survey assessing students' reactions is discussed. (9…

A media attribute approach was used in a study which hypothesized that compositional syntactic placement may bridge the processing link between the learner's cognitive capacity and the demands of a simple concept attainment task. Compositional syntactic placement refers to the relative horizontal position of the primary symbol or object within a…

This study compared the instructional effectiveness of both cued and noncued pictures and cued and noncued text; investigated whether a combination of pictorial and textual cues is the most effective strategy for low and average reading ability students; and compared average and low reading subjects using noncueing and cueing methods. (MBR)

Discusses attribution theory and its effect on teachers' attitudes toward students and describes a study of 155 elementary teachers in Costa Rica that investigated the consequences of the teachers attributing student performance to low ability and to insufficient effort. Cultural values that may affect the outcomes are also discussed. (28…

Discussion of correspondence instruction and the role of the tutor focuses on a study at the University of Manitoba that investigated the relationship between correspondence students' attitudes toward the importance of telephone contact with their course tutors and the effects of providing such contact. (29 references) (LRW)

This study investigated the effect of reward structure and group ability composition on small group computer-assisted instruction. Junior high school students practiced algebra in mixed-ability or uniform-ability groups, and rewards were based on individual performance, group performance, or a combination of both. (29 references) (Author/LRW)

Describes a research program of four studies that investigated whether instructional media could be used to deliver persuasive messages effectively. Highlights include learner attitudes, aptitude treatment interaction, instructional media research, the effectiveness of various media types, learner characteristics, and suggestions for additional…

To detemine the effectiveness of the Individualized Audio-Tutorial (IAT) method of instruction, an IAT unit in biology was implemented in ninth grade classrooms in an urban school in Israel, and student achievement was measured in relation to gender, academic background in mathematics and biology, and IQ levels. The 180 subjects were randomly…

The purpose of this study was to examine how learners with different levels of prior understanding of a topic interact and learn from computer-assisted video instruction systems when they have control of content, sequence, pace, and mode of instruction. Based on pretest scores, 80 subjects were randomly selected, half with low prior conceptual…

Describes a British study with undergraduate accountancy students which compared the quantitative and qualitative effects of three types of embedded tasks or questions--relational-semantic, transpose-semantic, and non-semantic--on learning outcomes. Variables investigated included mathematical background, recall, and comprehension. Relevance of…

This study of 272 13-year-old science students in England focuses on the effect of varied text and picture content on learning. A criterion-referenced objective items test was used to measure the effect of pictures on students of varying abilities and compare the effectiveness of traditional worksheet presentation and microcomputer presentation.…