These studies all indicate that self-directed small group study does not result in any decrement in subject matter mastery in the college learning experience. Observations of self-directed groups in action and some implications for policy decisions in higher education are given. (Editor/PG)

Reports two approaches to learning, including (1) a 3-hour discussion meeting once a week and (2) provision for a variety of learning activities to be pursued individually, with the latter approach preferred by students. (Editor/SB)

Discussed the need for bold new programs within the community college. (RK)

Reported is a study comparing a directive problem-solving (teacher centered) approach and a non-directive problem-solving (student centered) approach in a community college remedial science course for freshmen. The evaluation of the two methods was based on statistical analysis of changes in achievement and in student attitude toward the course.…

Reports a study describing children's learning about controlling variables in an environment where student autonomy is maximized and teacher controlled instruction is minimized. (SL)

This report has two sections: an account of the meeting on autodidaxy, or self-directed learning; and a collection of studies and papers on the subject. The first part considers the following: (1) the conceptual domain of autodidaxy; (2) the constitutive elements of autodidaxy, and the plurality of definitions attached to it; (3) aspects of…

This research explored the implications for a teacher in undertaking small-group work in the classroom. The two resources used were "The Practice of Group Work" by William Schwartz and "Group Work in Secondary Schools", and the "Training of Teachers in Its Methods" by Barrington Kaye and Irving Rogers. The first resource was concerned with…

This report describes the results of two surveys designed to gain information about conditions of implementation and extent of utilization of Individually Guided Motivation (IGM) in schools across the country. The objectives and motivational principles of the IGM system and the instructional programming model on which it is based are presented in…

This research was conducted to compare the learning which occurred in a preservice elementary education course using two teaching-learning methods (teacher-directed instruction and student self-directed study). Areas investigated were: (1) knowledge of physical science content, (2) development and application of the processes of science, (3)…

This paper analyzes some of the educational assumptions that underlie the use of free-choice situations in the classroom and describes a study that examined the effects of giving students control over their curriculum. Subjects for the study were 38 fourth- and fifth-grade-students in a low-income school. Students were divided into two groups that…

In U.S. colleges and universities, much attention has been focused on the need to improve teaching quality and to involve students in the learning process. At the same time, many faculty members are faced with growing class sizes and with time pressures due to research demands. One useful technique is to divide the class into small groups and…

To determine whether the open classroom environment produces a higher degree of internal locus of control than the traditional classroom, 200 seventh-grade students, matched for sex, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, and intelligence, were assigned to either open or traditional classrooms. It was hypothesized that both high and low…

A study was conducted to determine if students with varying grade point averages, self-concept, internal-external locus of control, and self-directedness, selected and performed differentially under two approaches to competency-based teacher education (teacher-directed and student-directed instruction). (JH)

Presents findings of a study designed to identify the background and process factors that influence the success of groupwork with computers. The multisite case study involved mixed-sex mixed-ability pupils, aged 9-12, who undertook mathematics tasks using LOGO or a database. The discussion includes the impact of organizational styles and patterns…