This paper discusses the relationship between individual differences and educational practices by reviewing the historical models of teaching and past research on learner characteristics. The mental testing movement is reviewed in terms of the emergence of aptitude as a measurable concept. Learner motivation is also discussed along with the…

Presented in this document are essays related to a research project focusing on conceptual obstacles which confine and inhibit scientific understanding (conceptual barriers). These include a short summary of research activities; research methodology; outline of a theory and summary of supporting evidence related to conceptual barriers encountered…

Evaluative comments from one participant in the June 1976 Pittsburgh conference on the theory and practice of beginning reading are presented in this paper. Discussion centers on curriculum analyses, testing practices, teaching practices, units of analysis that are required for reading research, learning characteristics, stages of reading…

A series of studies carried out in Aberdeen, Scotland and Lancaster England is used to illustrate changing interests in the area of personality and learning. The early studies looked for general relationships, adopting a psychometric approach. Recent work has been focused more on the process of learning, particularly in higher education, and on…

In order to investigate the factors that affect the ability of children to decode and elaborate television information, a study was conducted in which verbal ability, spatial ability, and amount of home television viewing were examined, along with viewer attention and three levels of instruction, for their direct and interactive effects on…

Contained in this volume are six papers, each focused on a different area of research in science education, in which the authors attempt to identify the implications of research findings for classroom practices. The areas discussed are grading and evaluation practices, interaction of science and mathematics at the elementary level, field…

The hypothesis is investigated that unproportional experience with uncontrollable situations for black and lower class individuals leads to an increased susceptibility to the poorer cognitive performance indicative of helplessness. Black and white lower and middle-class second and tenth graders were given no problems, solvable diagraph problems,…

Presented is a collection of very brief chapters (or sections) drawn from a variety of sources which discuss the characteristics of the disadvantaged learner. In addition, suggestions for teaching mathematics to the disadvantaged using a laboratory approach are made. Conclusions include a description of the attributes necessary to be an effective…

TO INVESTIGATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL CLIMATE AND LEARNING, RANDOM SAMPLES OF STUDENTS IN 49 TWELFTH GRADE PHYSICS CLASSES FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WERE GIVEN A CLASSROOM CLIMATE QUESTIONNAIRE WHICH WAS CORRELATED WITH THE TEST ON UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE, A PHYSICS ACHIEVEMENT TEST, AND THE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL FOR SCIENCE…

AN EXPERIMENTAL MULTILEVEL INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE FOR TEACHING HISTORY AS AN INQUIRY PROCESS WAS TESTED ON EIGHT SEVENTH-GRADE CLASSES TO INVESTIGATE CHANGES IN TEACHING BEHAVIOR AND PUPIL LEARNING OUTCOMES, AS COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL TEXTBOOK METHODS. WHILE NO CLEAR EVIDENCE WAS OBTAINED THAT PUPILS PREFERRED TO WORK WITH THE MULTILEVEL…

RATHER THAN GENERALIZING ABOUT PERSONS WHO ARE "CULTURALLY DEPRIVED," EDUCATORS MUST ARRIVE AT A MORE COMPLEX UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIFIC WAYS THESE INDIVIDUALS VARY FROM THE PREVAILING PATTERNS OF CULTURE, AND HOW EDUCATIONAL METHODS MIGHT BE ADOPTED TO THE PARTICULAR NEEDS OF THE CULTURALLY DIFFERENT. THREE MAJOR FACTORS MAY BE RELATED TO HIS…

A PILOT EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED TO TEST THE EFFECT OF A SPECIALLY DEVISED PHONIC APPROACH TO EARLY READING IS DESCRIBED. THE PHONIC METHOD USED ACHIEVED SOUND-SYMBOL REGULARITY AND HAD THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS--(1) CONSONANT GRAPHEMES EACH REPRESENTED ONLY ONE SOUND AND WERE PRINTED USING NEARLY STANDARD ALPHABETIC SYMBOLS. (2) EACH VOWEL…

Data collection and recordkeeping are the topics discussed in this instructional aid. Examples are given of creative ways of recordkeeping developed by children. Justification for the process is presented, such as the kinds of skills that can be developed by keeping science records. The evaluation of childrens' work is discussed and suggestions…

A PRETEST, POST-TEST, AND RETENTION TEST OF 481 SOPHOMORE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN 33 WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOLS OFFERING VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE WERE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF INDIVIDUAL, HOME-FARM SITUATION, AND STUDENT SUPERVISED FARMING EXPERIENCE DIFFERENCES UPON ACQUIRING AND RETAINING LEARNING IN VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE CLASSROOMS. EACH…

Study carrels, tape recorders, slide projectors, and other materials were used to create structured learning and training environments (SLATEs) that individualized study situations for a university soil sciences course. Four lectures and a two hour laboratory each week were replaced by one lecture, one discussion or quiz period, and a three to…