There is increasing evidence for the impact of spatial training on mathematics performance in early years of education, however little research has focused on secondary school environments, which are traditionally more discipline driven. In the present study, a large-scale classroom-based intervention saw the introduction of twelve hours of…

Metacognitive monitoring skills are crucial for middle school students to improve academic performance and promote self-regulation. The current study examined the effect of social interaction on metacognitive monitoring training assessed by calibration accuracy measures and performance on comprehension items. Sixth-grade students (N = 84) assigned…

This study investigated how teachers' achievement goals for teaching and implicit theories of their students' intelligence are associated with the goal structures that they create in their classrooms. Teachers ("N" = 209) reported their achievement goals for teaching (mastery, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoidance goals),…

The authors investigated whether some advantages of tutoring over other instructional methods are due to microadaptation, or, tutors basing their actions on assessments of tutees they develop during tutoring. In a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment, independent variables were shared experience (tutors either worked with the same or a different…

Three categories of information were hypothesized to be important information for successful execution of procedural assembly tasks: operational, spatial, and contextual information. Performance data for two tasks indicated that subjects using "complete" instructions finished the assemblies in less time and with fewer errors than did…

This study investigated how students felt about two types of career education instructional models: field exposure and didactic. Students who received field exposure training felt more positive about their training experience than students who received didactic instruction, possibly explaining why field exposure training is more effective in…

Studied the effect of self-regulatory processes on test preparation and performance through interviews with 62 college students. As expected, high test scorers used more self-regulatory processes to enhance test preparation and performance, and self-regulation positively affected test performance. (SLD)

Weight of the evidence is insufficient to accept the study hypothesis asserting a direct relation between social class and academic achievement in the minor seminary. (Authors)

Explored the contributions of subject matter knowledge, strategic processing, and interest to college students' educational psychology learning. In general, results for 77 undergraduates uphold the predictions of the model of domain learning (P. Alexander, 1997). Students' subject-matter knowledge, strategic processing, interest, and interactive…

The effect of optional retesting on the achievement of 1,314 college students in an individualized algebra course was studied. A performance improvement was found for about 90% of students who had earned a "B" or lower. Optional retesting appears to affect initial mastery, but not cumulative mastery. (SLD)

Eighteen studies on the correlation of home environment and learning were selected, and their results synthesized. The analyses suggest that ability and achievement are more closely linked to the socio-psychological environment and intellectual stimulation in the home than they are to parental socioeconomic status indicators. (Author/BW)

Eighty-four undergraduate students were randomly placed into one of three treatment groups to test the effects of high, medium, and low teacher clarity (vagueness terms and mazes) on student achievement and student perception. Results indicate that clarity significantly effects achievement and perception with the medium clarity groups displaying…

A study of feedback delay, expectation, and development was conducted in grades four, six, and eight, to assess whether feedback on a school related learning task serves an informational or reinforcing function. Results indicate that feedback serves an informational function and delayed feedback facilitates retention, contrary to reinforcement…

Relationships between multiple-choice test answer changing and testwiseness skills, and between these two variables and examination performance were studied with 150 college business students. Answer-changing behavior was related to multiple-choice test performance but not to testwiseness or performance on the nonmultiple choice portion.…

Studied the impact of practice tests on students' calibration and examination performance for multiple-choice and essay examinations. Results for 59 graduate students show that practice tests were associated with significantly lower scores on the midterm multiple-choice items and less accurate predictions and postdictions on these items. Discusses…