Educational robotics (ER) is a discipline of applied robotics focused on teaching robot design, analysis, application, and operation. Traditionally, ER has favored rigid robots, overlooking the potential of soft robots (SRs). While rigid robots offer insights into dynamics, kinematics, and control, they have limitations in exploring the depths of…

Research has consistently demonstrated the importance of early literacy instruction, as these skills are the developmental precursors to conventional reading. In this study, 215 early childhood educators in two states responded to a survey regarding early literacy curricula and assessment. Results indicated that most teachers used either a…

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) publishes a research agenda on an ongoing basis to continue its work in field-building, capacity-building and knowledge-building. Based on a 2013 survey of the field to identify research needs, iNACOL developed a research approach, including the following: (1) Build a collaborative…

An adapted alternating-treatments design was used to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of constant time delay and simultaneous prompting procedures within an embedded instruction format on the acquisition of various leisure skills by four preschool students with autism. The results showed that both procedures were effective in promoting the…

Discussion of difficulties in evaluating simulations and games as teaching techniques includes range of claims made for the techniques; variety available; lack of specificity of technique objectives at design stage; limitations of objective-oriented research; inherent difficulties of comparative evaluation against alternative techniques; and…

Although Fred Keller's personalized system of instruction (PSI) has had a surprisingly rapid adoption in colleges and universities since its introduction in 1964, sound evaluation techniques for the method are still needed. Verbal reports are vague, while other methods that have been used are idiosyncratic and depend on the way the teacher…

Stresses the need for more research into the actual instructional behavior of English teachers and discusses current findings of research of this sort. (SW)

The paper explores the social and cultural processes in the schooling rituals of graduate students in anthropology. Four areas of concern are noted. The first area concerns rites of passage and professional competence. The author explains that the period of graduate professional schooling represents the second stage of a rite of passage after one…

Describes a 1987 survey of bibliographic instruction in U.S. academic libraries that was sponsored by the Library Orientation-Instruction Exchange (LOEX), and compares results with data gathered in 1979. Highlights include instructional methods, print and nonprint materials, evaluation methods, publicity methods, and suggestions for future…

Educators in Virginia have been working hard to improve student performance. Their efforts are highlighted in this report, which notes trends and common practices in schools that have consistently demonstrated high achievement and in schools that have shown remarkable improvement in recent years. The first section of the report presents a…

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), the Defense Documentation Center (DDC), National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Psychological Abstracts, HumRRO Library, and industrial training publications were surveyed to analyze instructional and evaluative techniques relevant to team training. Research studies and team training…

This evaluation of a federally funded economics curriculum project reviews acquisition of learning outcomes, success of content and teaching methods, perception of curriculum change, and facilitation of decision making. Over 10,000 elementary and secondary school students in Illinois were exposed to economics through the specially developed World…

Sixteen papers are provided. B. F. Skinner discusses the arrangement of contingencies for learning: Lloyd Homme describes behavioral engineering; and Frank Hewett considers behavior modification in special education. Also treated are experimental education by Norris Haring, program evaluation by Arthur Lumsdaine, and administration of special…

The effects of various megatrends in social and economic life on vocational education in Germany and other countries are discussed, and the evaluation of one approach to facing these megatrends is described. Trends include demographic changes and the conditions resulting from new technologies and environmental concerns. Such megatrends are…