In higher education the main subjects build on the knowledge acquired in high school. Research shows that students entering universities have acquired basic knowledge to different extents. It is very important to be able to apply mathematical knowledge directly. Students often treat practical knowledge separately from theoretical knowledge. They…

Four kinds of learning are the basis for most of the discussion in this paper: direct-application learning, basic skills, background knowledge, and personal learning. (Author/CB)

Argues that mutual trust and understanding between teacher and learner are essential to a beneficial learning experience. What students learn depends on their interpretation of the experience, and attempts to control learning result in undesirable side effects. Congruity of external and internal evaluations is a significant consideration…

"QuickSmart" is a basic academic skills intervention designed for persistently low-achieving students in the middle years of schooling that aims to improve the automaticity of basic skills to improve higher-order processes, such as problem solving and comprehension, as measured on standardized tests. The "QuickSmart" instructional program consists…

Chapter 1 service providers assume that children suffer from a knowledge deficit best treated through remedial instruction. Actually, remedial students do not understand "understanding." The Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) project stimulates four general thinking techniques (metacognition, inference from context, decontextualization,…

Plato wrote that higher order thinking could not start until the student had mastered conventional wisdom. The American educational establishment has turned Plato on his head with the help of a dubious approach to teaching developed by one Benjamin Bloom. Bloom's taxonomy was intended for higher education, but its misappropriation has resulted in…

This document explains various approaches to diagnosing learning disabilities in adults learning to read and approaches to teaching these adults. Following an introduction, the first three sections answer the questions What are learning disabilities? How do learning disabilities affect reading? and How is a learning disability diagnosed? A section…

The Parallel Alternate Curriculum (PAC), a model providng regular content courses, in regular classes, to secondary students with learning problems, combines basic skill instruction with alternative teaching strategies. PAC, a mainstreaming implementation program, is designed to provide inservice training emphasizing the process of how students…

A continuation of the exploration of the various ways that knowledge and insight are achieved. Explains that even instruction in basic skills can benefit from this appreciation. Provides descriptions of classroom activities that demonstrate how the various modes of knowing can be used for conceptual exploration. (FL)

Although a lot of data on the psychological characteristics of children having learning disabilities have been gathered, not very much has been done to discover the underlying mechanisms, processes, or phenomenon of learning disability. Without more investigations which attempt to get at these, we will continue to be at a loss to prescribe…

Describes the cyclical nature of a problem-solving sequence produced from observing children involved in the process. Discusses the generic qualities of science: (1) observing; (2) inferring; (3) classifying; (4) predicting; (5) controlling variables; and (6) hypothesizing. Explains the processes in use and advantages of a process-led course. (RT)

This paper describes a developmental writing course at Purdue University. The author argues that the basics of such a course as far as the student is concerned are motivation and a desire to learn writing, communication, careful diagnosis, organized plan for student mastery, provision for transferral, and reward. Helping students develop a desire…

A successful program is accomplished by determining high risk students' needs and by carefully designing curriculum and instruction to help them develop their academic and personal skills. The program considers need, adult learning, administrative commitment, use of specialists, integrated curriculum, and staff development. (Author/LBH)

Discusses the undereducated U.S. workforce and the resulting need for workforce education. Highlights include personalized systems of instruction; individualized instructional programs; cognitive processing; prior knowledge; time on task; feedback and assessment; metacognition; motivational links; and the need for a multilayered approach to…