Describes a study designed to address the difficulties computer science undergraduates have in learning formal reasoning methods. Computer-based tools providing a mixture of graphical and textual on-screen help were evaluated, and results indicate the tools had a positive effect on the learning process. (Author/LRW)

Five children with autism and mental retardation learned to discriminate objects in response to spoken names or to match amounts to numbers with a combined blocking procedure. The procedure involved presenting the same spoken word until 10 consecutive correct responses occurred and keeping the left-right location of objects constant. (Contains…

This discussion of phenomenological research methods examines the importance of secrets in children's development of self-identity, autonomy, independence, and maturity; the experience of recognition in children and its relationship to teaching, learning, and child development; and Alzheimer's dementia and the relationship between memory and sense…

Includes seven articles that discuss overcoming obstacles to getting teenage boys to read. Highlights include what teacher-librarians can do; what boys see as obstacles; material selection; collection organization; gender issues; learning differences; magazines; lunchtime book discussion groups; motivating boys as beginning readers; and popular…

Compares two delivery methods for a course in genetics and evolution: (1) studio teaching involving teamwork by students, hands-on exercises, and minimal lecturing; and (2) an interactive lecture demonstration method. Uses pre- and post-testing of basic concepts to evaluate the effectiveness of each method. Suggests that studio techniques are a…

Reports the results of an investigation into factors associated with variations in students' ability to achieve conceptual learning gains in a physics course that employs interactive-engagement methods. Explores the correlation between students' normalized learning gains and their initial level of physics concept knowledge, pre-instruction…

Presents important information for conducting authentic scientific field work. Interprets one teacher's field experience in the Pacific Northwest. Points out the need for teacher training in authentic field work and makes suggestions for starting a field ecology project. (KHR)

Reviews communication as a fundamental component in implementing a balanced and effective mathematics program. Presents a classroom episode in which students solve problems, use rubrics to rate the written response of a peer, and discuss solutions and decisions for rating their peers' papers. (KHR)

Describes the use of language analysis and speech-act categories (declarations, assertives, directives, commissives, and expressives) to deal with meaningful classroom concerns, thereby enabling the teacher and students to work more effectively together. (KEH)

This paper compares and contrasts the findings of studies on the learning styles of multicultural subgroups in the United States in terms of the categories of the Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model. It concludes that individual rather than group characteristics must be addressed when providing instruction--regardless of cultural or racial…

The article addresses ways counselors can help students identify their personal learning style characteristics (using the Learning Styles Inventory) and implement study skills congruent with individual learning style preferences. (DB)

Explains the differences between successful and unsuccessful problem solvers' exploration of a problem, translation of information into different forms, approach to devising and executing a plan, and rechecking work. (RT)

One factor preventing the wider acceptance of school-based curriculum development and assessment is the problem of comparing performances of different students, in different schools. The SOLO taxonomy is used to describe the complexity of learning outcomes in a language that is generally applicable across the curriculum. (Author/MLW)

Mildly handicapped children share common educational needs and behavioral attributes. A general theory of learning outlines the characteristics of special learners and their implications for teaching. Components include expectancy of success or failure, selective attention, organization of input for storage, memory and recall, transfer,…

The effects of pictorial illustrations on memory for text were studied in 144 college students. Two experiments indicated that illustrations serve a supplementary function; adjunct pictures alone, without special processing instructions, do not help learners encode information that is not normally encoded in the first place. (SLD)