Responses from faculty from 82 percent of medical schools surveyed indicated agreement between the basic science teachers and clinical teachers on the relative importance of a set of biomedical concepts, and showed relatively minor levels of disagreement on how difficult these concepts are. (Author/MLW)

Presents a descriptive study of the influence of the learner's cultural schemata on instruction. Finds that students interpret new information in the light of cultural knowledge already possessed. Implications are that instructional designs that ignore the influence of background knowledge take a naive approach to the development of a…

Describes a fictional science classroom/learning experience in which the teacher expresses mild surprise and pleasure at the way the children tend to steer the learning process themselves when they have a relevant purpose in mind. Argues that learning involves being able to express what one knows. (KEH)

Describes the theoretical framework of a research project aimed at exploring the new potentials for instructional systems offered by videodisc technology and artificial intelligence. A prototype of an intelligent tutoring system, "Earth," is described, and types of interactions in instructional systems are discussed as they relate to the…

Presents a discussion on the significance of questioning techniques in the development of critical thinking skills. Stresses that teachers can increase a student's mental engagement by using appropriate wait time, increasing nonevaluative responses, avoiding rephrasing a question, and avoiding questions requiring a yes or no response. (RT)

Discussion of computer-assisted learning (CAL) versus book learning focuses on software called a book emulator that was applied to CAL to reflect desirable attributes of learning from books. A project at the University of York that used the book emulator in an electronics course is described, and future possibilities are suggested. (12 references)…

The effects of overt or covert verbalization and specific or non-specific goals were investigated. Sixty-four undergraduate students solved acquisition problems and subsequently took tests measuring near and far transfer. Results indicate that acquisition can be influenced by teaching methods emphasizing conscious attention to goals. (SLD)

There is probably no widespread educational practice as thoroughly discredited as retention in grade. If the research undercutting this practice is sound, the task is to uproot outdated misconceptions appealing to educators'"common sense" wisdom. An Arizona study's influence on the attitudes of community leaders, local teachers, and…

Discusses the value of using photographs and pictures as a way to give meaning to facts for all students. Points out that photographs are most successfully used when accompanied by proper questions in an appropriate sequence. Gives examples of such questions and provides a sample lesson. (KO)

Discusses the field of educational technology and the need for new perspectives on the processes of learning, teaching, and doing research. Topics discussed include the scope of education; goal-directed feedback; control system theory; cybernetics and general system research; self-instruction; and suggestions for future planning for educational…

Reviews multichannel learning research to find the best ways to combine audio and video in television to improve learning, and summarizes the research findings into principles for instructional television production. Highlights include the effects of redundancy on learning and on audience attention, message clarity, and problems in instructional…

Examines the content-based approach and the form-based approach to values education in order to determine the more effective approach for Hong Kong geography instructors to adopt. Finds that the form-based approach is more popular among educators because it eliminates the danger of indoctrination. An exemplar unit, "Apartheid in South…

An expanded framework for validating tests is needed to include the perspectives of teachers and students as well as of test makers and scientists. The development of educational assessments must take place within an understanding of how tests are used in context. (SLD)

Summarizes research that contrasts the approaches and attitudes of successful and unsuccessful problem solvers. Supplies a categorized list of problem solver characteristics. (RT)

Reviews instructional design techniques that are suggested for improving the quality and effectiveness of educational software. Three areas of instructional design are addressed: (1) instructional strategies, including provision, examples and active feedback; (2) screen display, including text style variety; and (3) human factors, including…