Describes limitations of traditional approaches to assessment and curriculum as they relate to the needs of children with autism and severe disabilities who are functioning at presymbolic levels of development. Alternative assessment strategies are identified, and suggestions for instructional design are provided. (Author/BN)

In order for educators to plan for thinking skills in the curriculum, what is meant by thinking must first be determined. Drawing from current research, this report provides working definitions of thinking skills and practical models to explain the working relationships among different levels and different kinds of thought processes. These…

We report on a study of a laboratory teaching apprenticeship program designed to improve graduate teaching assistant (GTA) performance. To catalyze GTAs as laboratory teachers we constructed learning goals, synthesized previous literature into a design model and a developmental path, and built two instruments to measure 12 strategic pedagogical…

Since 20% of all college students experience communication apprehension (CA), the developmental student, distinguished by lower than average academic scores, may also experience this inhibiting fear of communication. Characteristics of the developmental communication apprehensive student indicate that a program for overcoming communication…

Considering a behaviorist's viewpoint focusing on specifics regarding learning and knowledge, this document discusses the psychology of learning and how it provides the reading/language arts teacher with a basis for making sound decisions in lesson and unit construction. It provides two examples of objectives for pupil achievement pertaining to…

Looks at the crucial role of evaluation and assessment in developing a means to integrate environmental education into biology curricula. Focuses on the development of evaluation instruments that allow information to be collected on aspects of pupil behavior toward aspects of the environment. (LZ)

This paper summarizes two related sets of data. First, the findings of an inquiry titled, "The Appropriateness of Forced Choice True/False Response Formats for Selected Learning Style Inventories" is reported. This inquiry compared data from two forms of the Dunn/Price Learning Style Inventory. The first form was the real Dunn/Price…

Expanded the curriculum of an assertiveness training program. Found that boys and girls benefited similarly in the cognitive acquisition of assertiveness information from this program. Discusses results in terms of the difference between having stored symbolic information regarding assertive responses and in recognizing appropriate contexts for…

CURRENT LITERATURE RELEVANT TO MUSIC EDUCATION OF CHILDREN STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT BASED ON A CONCEPTUAL APPROACH TO MUSIC LEARNING. THERE BEING LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS OF BASIC MUSICAL ELEMENTS ON WHICH TO FOUND SUCH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, AN INSTRUMENT WAS DEVELOPED TO IDENTIFY THE IDEAS REGARDING…

The summary final report of the Anthropology Curriculum Project is intended to provide an account of accomplishments and findings. The purpose of the Project was to develop and field test systematic content in anthropology for elementary social studies, with progressive development centered on mastery of the fundamental concepts and their…

A comparative study that accesses the environmental knowledge of in-service classroom teachers (n=166) enrolled in the certification program at Yarmouk indicates the need for coursework in environmental sciences and environmental education. Recommends the integration of an environmental dimension into the general methodology course and subject…

Subject matter experts play an essential role in technical curriculum development by providing accurate and up-to-date information that matches education, training, and workforce needs. The Subject Matter Expert (SME) COMlist is proposed as a tool that enables instructional developers to evaluate an SME's capability and suitability to support…

Argues that educators should be proactive in building computer-based curricula that place technology in a facilitating role, have sound educational objectives that are measureable, and reflect awareness of how students learn from computer interaction. The educational theories of reinforcement, closure, short-term memory, and mastery learning are…

Topics include: (1) Culture and deep structure of literature curriculum; (2) Literary criticism and educational measurement: towards an evaluation framework; (3) Measuring: knowledge and its application to literary texts, understanding of a literary work, interests, and attitudes; and (4) Evaluating expressed responses to literary works. (RL)

Investigated were students' beliefs about the tentativeness of scientific knowledge, various sources of students' beliefs as well as those factors that have altered students' beliefs about science, and the implications of students' beliefs for daily personal and societal decisions. The research methodology and instructional implications are…