Theories of neuroscience are presented to demonstrate the significance of storytelling and narrative to education by relating brain function to learning. A few key concepts are reviewed to establish a common working vocabulary with regard to neural networks. The tensor network theory and the neurognosis theory are described to provide…

Suggests that students who reason with only concrete thinking patterns may become formal thinkers through the use of the following instructional pattern: (1) the introduction of an undifferentiated whole, (2) differentiation of the whole through concrete experiences, (3) invention of symbolic notation, (4) application of concepts which lead to…

Thirty-four nonretarded and 34 12- to 16-year-old educable retarded children, matched on mental age, were given three tasks relating to H. Witkin's cognitive style construct. (Author)

John Dewey's philosophy emphasizes the school's ordered continuation of education in the home. Social development, cooperation, responsibility, self-discipline and motivation were of utmost importance. Teacher responsibility involves creating linkages between the child and environment. Curricula based on children's personal experiences bridge the…

This paper is designed to increase understanding of the responsiveness of the accreditation process in general and the NCA Commission on Institutions of Higher Education in particular to current "nontraditional" developments in post-secondary education. (Editor)

Describes the rationale behind Synectics Education Systems (SES) which is primarily a way of thinking. The main feature of the approach is the making of analogies. Two examples of applying the technique are given. Suggestions for using the technique in lesson planning are also given. (BR)

Preservice elementary teachers who were assigned teacher roles prior to a unit on probability showed greater achievement than those assigned student roles. When students did not know to which roles they would be assigned prior to class there was no difference between achievement of "teachers" and "students." (SD)

Common strategies for teaching proofs are discussed. Prerequisite behaviors, components of a learning hierarchy, are expressed in behavioral terms. The six categories are knowledge about logic, knowledge about the components of a deductive system, knowledge about proof strategies, knowledge of proof formats, proof completion, and generalization.…

An investigation into student personality factors which influence student interaction and learning outcomes. (HB)

Thirty male college students performed a mock communication controller's task under three different instructional formats, short sentences, logical tree, and coding. It was concluded that format variations mainly influence the more difficult tasks. (Author/DE)

This article discusses some of the important components of play. (PD)

A study was conducted to test the relationship between communication apprehension (CA) and learning. Subjects were 194 college students at a midwestern university enrolled in an introductory speech course who were divided by scores on the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA). The groups heard a class presentation and were then…

The digest examines the range of traits that may be exhibited by intellectually gifted children. The characterisitcs are explained to be signals that a particular child might warrant closer observation and special educational attention. Characteristics are listed under three headings: general behavior (early reading, ability to detect and…

The definition, nature, limitations, and strengths of multiple-choice test items are reviewed; and recommendations on the development and use of such items are presented. Many teacher-made multiple-choice tests can be significantly improved. Suggestions for layout organization and an interpretive approach to relationships among items on one test…

Essay tests, despite their limitations, have a number of strengths and, therefore, appropriate uses in higher education, as long as users are aware of the limitations. Essay questions (extended response and restricted response) are designed to assess student learning. There is considerable agreement in the educational measurement literature about…