Describes the following organizations concerned with international comparative educational research: (1) the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA); (2) the International Assessment of Educational Progress (IAEP); (3) the Board of International Comparative Studies in Education; and (4) the International…

Describes study of elementary school students in two age groups that assessed the impact of two control strategies on children's emotional reactions to a frightening movie scene. Hypotheses tested are explained, results of comparative analyses between the two age groups are discussed, and further research needs are suggested. (46 references) (LRW)

Discussion of the amount of mental effort children invest in television viewing versus book reading focuses on a Dutch study based on Salomon's model and his studies with children in Israel and the United States. The depth of information processed is discussed, and differences in results are examined. (18 references) (LRW)

This study compared the exam performance of 65 foreign students of Dutch whose homework had been regularly checked by a computer program with 62 students whose homework had been randomly checked. On a 100-item proficiency test the former group obtained an average score of 77.2, while the latter group obtained an average score of 65.4. (Contains 21…

Examines influences on the use of electronic information resources, including the Internet. Highlights include information quality and accessibility; the Technology Assessment Model; the Fitness for Purpose model; the Theory of Planned Behavior; and a study in Australia that compared the ability of these models to explain electronic information…

To study the adequacy of the brief oral examination format as a basis for assessing oral skills, the study compared samples of 15-minute oral exams with 3-hour written exam results by the same students. The resultant average size of oral samples was about 77% of that of written samples, with good comparability, leading to useful conclusions about…

Investigated whether there were differences in retention of language when both visual and auditory stimuli were employed as opposed to just a visual stimulus. It was found that reading-only resulted in higher scores on tests taken immediately, whereas combined listening and reading resulted in higher tests when tests were delayed. (12 references)…

Two experiments were conducted with graduate students to test hypotheses regarding the effectiveness of diagrams in which concepts were shown spatially. Response latencies were compared for problems applying kinship rules to information presented in family trees and in lists of statements, and the use of rules to compute responses was examined.…

Compared 719 first-, second-, third-grade students enrolled in partial-immersion (PI) programs in Japanese, Spanish, or French to 3 comparison groups. Outcome measures used were a mathematics test, Metropolitan Achievement Test in Reading, and Student Oral Proficiency Rating. PI students scored at least as well as, and to some extent better than,…

Discussion of the use of human markers to mark responses on write-in questions focuses on a study that determined the feasibility of using a computer program to mark write-in responses for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. The computer performance was compared with that of physician markers. (seven references) (LRW)

Describes a study that used focus groups, mail surveys, and in-home observations to examine differences in traditional television viewing and video cassette recorder (VCR) movie rental viewing. Viewing preparation, activities during viewing, and visual orientation to the screen are examined; hypotheses tested are discussed; and future research is…

Reviews the literature on patron perceptions of library use and the necessity of instruction, describes a survey of Illinois public library patrons that asked their views on library use instruction, compares results with those of an earlier survey of academic library patrons, and suggests areas for further study. (16 references) (LRW)

Conducted a pilot study with learners of Spanish who had completed a 25-week basic language training at the Defense Language Institute's Foreign Language Center. Compared the listening and reading proficiency of 10 officers with 44 enlisted personnel, using t-tests and analysis of variance (with the Defense Language Proficiency Test as a…

Describes computer-based placement tests developed at the second language institute at the University of Ottawa, Canada using Ficelle. Students in the French as a second language program were tested using either the computer-based test or a pencil-and-paper test. Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences between the two test…

Reports on a study comparing student performances and test reliabilities for the German Speaking Test, a semi-direct tape-mediated oral proficiency test (GST) developed by the Center for Applied Linguistics, and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Oral Proficiency Interviews. (Author/VWL)