The basic tenet of Programed Instruction (PI), that learning occurs best when knowledge is imparted in small increments, appears to apply to associative rather than deductive process. One may best learn definitions via association, and best learn inference via unified understandings. This hypothesis was tested by structuring two modes of…

While gender differences in mathematics achievement and attitudes overall have been declining during the past two decades, there still exists a disparity in advanced mathematics achievement and upper-level mathematics course-taking patterns that contributes to fewer females than males choosing professions in math, science, and technology fields.…

Investigated were the effects of sex, ability and training method on the musical instrument playing ability of 16 institutionalized severely and profoundly retarded persons ages 7 to 20 years. Ss were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups, and the time required to reach criterion playing a familiar tune was recorded. Data indicated…

Reviews studies that address the gender gap in primary and secondary science classrooms concerning interest in the subject as well as academic performance. Suggests strategies to encourage female participation in science. (KHR)

This study examined gender differences in student evaluation of teaching through two analyses. In the first, female and male student ratings in the same classes were compared for female and male instructors. In the second analysis, ratings by all male students are examined for how they differed for male and female instructors. Data came from 741…

Investigated are the relative effectiveness of the elaborative-rules and the organized-rules approaches to teaching children how to control variables. The influence of the type of rules, sex differences, and cognitive style differences on performance are discussed. (KR)

Canada is experiencing a dramatic growth in interest in and implementation of the middle school concept. Currently needed is information on the specific characteristics of the middle school as it develops in Canada and information validating the practices that are accompanying restructure efforts. This study investigated the relationship between…

This study investigated the effectiveness of teaching specific rather than global comprehension skills; the correlations among sex, intelligence level, and comprehension gain when taught global or specific comprehension skills; and the correlations between the factors of intelligence, comprehension, and vocabulary without regard for the teaching…

Attitudes toward and achievement in a foreign language were studied with 349 high school seniors. Controlling for native language achievement, difficulty in learning the language was an important achievement factor, and gender and years of study contributed to achievement. Implications for instruction are discussed. (SLD)

Long-documented gaps between male and female performance on tests of spatial mathematics ability are discussed. Possible explanations are offered, and suggestions are put forth for cultivating spatial relationships ability in girls through sports and other activities. (PB)

The problem investigated in this study was whether male and female students would evaluate professors' teaching methods differentially as a function of their own sex and/or the sex of the particular professor. The subjects, fifty male and fifty female seniors and first year graduate students in psychology at San Jose State University, were divided…

Presented lecture materials containing either teacher self-disclosure or no self-disclosure to college students, then administered a free recall test. Results showed that self-disclosure raised the recall of males but not females, but female subjects rated the instructor more highly. Proposes that teacher self-disclosure encourages self-reference.…

Describes development of the Instructor Effectiveness Questionnaire (IEQ). Survey of 234 students participating in canoeing and kayaking at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (North Carolina) found that all 17 teachers received high scores, that the IEQ was able to discriminate between more- and less-effective instructors, and that female instructors…

This study examined the effects of course level, class size, and instructor gender on student ratings of teacher performance at the National Hualien Teachers College in Taiwan. A total of 9,843 usable evaluation forms were completed for 440 courses (96 freshmen-level, 142 sophomore-level, 119 junior-level, and 83 senior-level) taught by 132…

Compared conventional biology instruction to personalized system of instruction (PSI) and investigated relationship between achievement and selected variables (age, sex, family income/size, grade point average, motivational factors, treatment group, and California Achievement Test scores) of college students (N=80). Results, among others, indicate…