Fredrickson's (1998, 2001) broaden and build theory postulates that the experience of frequent positive emotions serves to broaden humans' thoughts and behaviors, resulting in accrual of resources, including coping resources, which catalyze upward spirals toward future well-being. Initial research supports the tenets of broaden and build; however,…

"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is…

Reports on college-level microeconomic classes to compare learning in short-term intensive course with traditional semester-length course. Found students in three-week courses performed better on achievement tests than those in traditional semester courses but this advantage disappeared when knowledge retention was measured. Raises policy…

This paper is a preliminary report of a pilot study done at the University of Northern Colorado in 1984 using PHOENIX, a mainframe computer based education (CBE) system in a teacher education program. The study deals with the instructional tutorial and a computer based test generation system related to those tutorials. Data on the physiological…

Investigated if relationships existed between middle school students (N=105) science concept structure interrelatedness competence and their time on task, science achievement, scholastic aptitude, previous experience with concept structure interrelatedness, attitudes toward science, interest in science, science curiosity, and self-concept of…

This research project was designed to explore ways of making computer text presentations more readable as a way of compensating for the constraints that computers impose on the display of text as compared with print-on-paper displays, e.g., limited screen resolution and display area. Forty-eight undergraduate teacher education majors enrolled in…

The Memphis Apple Classroom of Tomorrow (ACOT), one of seven ACOT locations, was a joint project of the city schools and Apple Computer. The ACOT consisted of a class of 30 fifth grade students in an inner city school, who were selected on the basis of the willingness of the students and their parents to participate and to use computers in the…

This meta-analysis of 49 comparative studies shows that mastery testing has positive effects on student learning, but the size of effect depends on the stringency of the criterion used and the degree of experimental control. The effects of instructional time, student attitudes, and differences in ability levels are also addressed. (Author/LRW)

This metaanalysis of 32 comparative studies shows that computer-based education has generally had positive effects on the achievement of elementary school pupils. However, these effects are different for off-line computer managed instruction and interactive computer assisted instruction (CAI); interactive CAI produces greater increases in student…

This study of two fifth grade classes investigated students' reports of attention, understanding, cognitive processes and affect during a nine-day mathematics unit on measurement. These self-reports appeared more valid indicators of classroom learning than observed time on task. Student affect mediated the relationship between instructional…

This final report summarizes the purpose, procedures, and results of a study, initiated in 1980, which investigated the interrelationships among motivational variables related to 423 fourth through sixth grade students' sense of efficacy in the classroom, or classroom motivation. Sense of efficacy was initially defined as a student's perception of…

The response to seatwork assignments of 26 high and low achievers in 8 first grade classrooms was examined. Students were observed during five half-days of school over a five to six month period. Teachers were interviewed twice during the year, with particular attention being paid to how they handled selecting seatwork assignments, presented them…

This issue of "Investigations in Mathematics Education" contains: (1) a review of E. Fischbein's book "The Intuitive Sources of Probabilistic Thinking in Children;" (2) nine abstracts of research studies in mathematics education; (3) a list (by EJ number) of mathematics education research studies reported in the January to…

A meta-analysis of findings from 24 controlled evaluations showed computer-assisted instruction (CAI) usually has positive effects on adult learners, i.e., it raised examination scores and reduced instruction time. Reliable conclusions could not be reached on CAI's long-term cognitive effects because of small number of studies investigating such…

The effectiveness of multiple matrix sampling was examined in a study of 495 students' attitudes toward a computer education program. A post hoc analysis of variance was used, with the class as the unit of analysis. The Computer Attitude Scale, a 30-item rating scale, was used to measure attitudes toward learning about and working with computers.…