Preschool children interacted with an adult model who was either low or highly rewarding to the child. Later the model displayed either a high or low degree of positive affect as he played with a nonpreferred toy. The model's affect influenced both the children's ratings of and imitative play with the toy. (Author/RD)

Six-and eight-year olds were exposed to a modeling sequence for cluster rule learning under high, medium, and low degrees of structure. Age differences in vicarious learning emerged only in the medium structure condition, while immediately imitating a model failed to influence learning for either age group. (Author/CP)

This experiment investigated the effects of progress self-monitoring on children's achievement and percepts of self-efficacy in the context of mathematical competency development. Results showed that self- and external monitoring led to significantly higher percepts of efficacy, skill, and persistence compared with no monitoring. (Author/PN)

Presents a modified social learning theory account of the contribution of imitation to sex role development. Subjects of the two experiments described were elementary school boys and girls. (MP)

This discussion article addresses the nature of models used in hydrology. It proposes a minimalist classification of models into two categories: models built on data from observations of the processes involved, and those for which there are no observation data on any of these processes, at the scale of interest. (LZ)

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of audiovisual aids in the instruction of junior-level preservice teachers. The tapes used were vignettes of persons demonstrating specific teaching skills in the areas of lesson organization, questioning, using student ideas, praise and corrective feedback, and variety and variation in…

Two environmental learning conditions based on generative linguistics were tested to determine whether they could induce in children (in grades 1-3) the acquisition of the rules of metaphors and the subsequent generation of metaphors based on the acquired rules. The first modeling condition (MC-1) emphasized the verbal-interaction effect: the…

Justifies including dinosaurs as a topic in the curriculum for young children if approached from the inquiry processes of science exploration. Suggests that this topic encourages observational, classification, and communication skills and the ability to compare, hypothesize, and derive conclusions. (AS)

Rather than emphasize specific facts, teaching science should help develop the whole person. Children learn science best when they are able to choose what they want to know. Suggestions for "living science" rather than parroting facts are offered. (DF)

This paper suggests: (1) how to increase the amount of practice that an athlete can work in during the day; and (2) ways to enhance practice for maximum performance gains. Research information about both physical and mental forms of practice are synthesized. (PP)

The effect of descriptive verbalization during observation of a model on mentally retarded boys' retention for what they had observed was examined with 40 9- to 12-year-old boys in public school educable mentally retarded classes. (Author)

The pleasures and advantages of informal learning are highlighted in a story about childhood visits to a fabric shop. Contrasts the unhurried, flexible, self-directed nature of informal learning situations with the more structured and controlled environment of the classroom. Discusses skills and lessons learned in informal settings and suggests…

The purpose of this paper is to review some of the current research in "modeling" or "imitation" learning that supports basic elements of social learning theory, its effects on overt behavior, and its relationship to subjects' self-evaluations. An attempt is made to point out the theoretical discrepancies that exist between social learning, social…