This study investigated the degree to which 48 seventh and eighth grade students of different abilities acquired strategic planning knowledge from an intellectual computer game ("Wumpus"). Relationships between ability and student performance with two versions of the game were also investigated. The two versions differed in the structure…

One of the organizational characteristics used in the Minnesota School Effectiveness Program is a positive school climate, which includes collaborative planning and collegial relationships. This module begins by identifying four types of collegial practices that characterize successful schools: (1) frequent, continuous, and increasingly precise…

To truly develop as teachers, we need to be free to explore teaching, and exploration can be based on a set of principles and ways to explore. Principles can include: (1) transcending the goal of improving our teaching by aiming at seeing teaching differently, (2) taking responsibility for our own teaching while recognizing the need for others,…

Though interaction is often billed as a significant component of successful online learning, empirical evidence of its importance as well as practical guidance or specific interaction techniques continue to be lacking. In response, this study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate how instructors and students perceive the…

The 13 articles collected in this volume address various aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication in the educational setting. Among the subjects discussed are research in verbal and nonverbal communication, sex differences and social-class differences in teacher/student communication behavior, communication processes in adult basic education…

Weak increases in classroom cohesion for three seventh-grade classes instructed by a mastery learning technique compared to three conventionally instructed classes are demonstrated using block analysis of variance, triadic census (balance theory), and block modelling (role theory) analytic techniques on repeated-measures sociometric rating data.…

This report describes the extent of black-white classroom segregation in desegregated elementary, middle, and high schools; compares the degree of segregation for blacks, whites, and Hispanics; compares the degree of resegregation in major regions of the nation, and investigates the relationship between the degree of school desegregation and…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 21 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) factors affecting interpersonal attraction and perceived appropriateness; (2) the effect of self-esteem, relationship satisfaction, conceptual complexity, and…

A description and analysis of an unsuccessful secondary school evaluation in Australia is presented. The idea of a review originated with the vice principal and was received by the staff with minimal enthusiasm. Following the review, the staff agreed that nothing had been accomplished, and the reasons for the failure are summarized in this report.…

An adapted form of interpersonal process recall (IPR) and a theory of educating are described. IPR, which was originally conceived as a method for interpersonal counseling, may help college teachers improve their instruction, based on the conceptual framework derived from D. B. Gowin's (1981) theory of educating. The adapted recall technique…

Designed to create a foundation for collaboration between research on teaching and research on reading, this critical review of teacher effectiveness first provides a historical perspective as a means for creating a "common ground" between the two fields. Teacher effectiveness findings are then presented in two major categories. The first examines…

The assumption that question-answer sequences consist of two moves was examined using data from recordings of second-grade classrooms in Austin, Texas. Interactions initiated by children's spontaneous questions in informal, small group settings were evaluated. Twenty-nine dialogue samples are presented and analyzed. Four issues in the study of…

Suggestions are offered for faculty development and evaluation activities that can aid teachers' understanding and growth. Teachers can benefit from classroom observation feedback from other teachers who have been trained to appreciate the different kinds of cognitive processes used in the classroom. Observing teachers can record the pattern of…

The effectiveness of matching learning styles of community college students to similar teaching strategies in English and mathematics courses was investigated in relation to (1) academic success in courses; (2) attitudes toward the instructor and the course; and (3) attrition rate in courses. Five hypotheses were tested: students would have…

Undergraduates in two experiments learned ten mathematical rules under different strategies of adapting instruction to individual needs. An adaptive model developed by Hansen was structured to use multiple predictors for two purposes: (1) to classify students into four independent learning style groups, thus allowing for group-based adaptation;…