Presents the results of an evaluation of an experimental program designed to speed up the acquisition of Dutch by immigrant children in the Netherlands. In a longitudinal study that tracked both the experimental and a comparison group, both groups of children were pretested and posttested each year with curriculum-dependent and -independent…

Studied collaborative reasoning in 86 seventh-grade minority students in an urban low-income school. Students who collaborated had higher percentages of fully correct explanations on the posttest than those who worked alone. Collaborative experiences were beneficial for reasoning about unfamiliar, moderately difficult, nonverbal problems. (SLD)

Studied the relationship between modified oral input and the acquisition of word meanings by Japanese high school students. Results include a strong relationship between comprehension and word meaning acquisition was only evident in a test replicating learning format; and rate of word acquisition was faster with the premodified input. (54…

Describes a study of 107 sixth graders that investigated the effects of learning strategy training intervention and the incorporation of learner control on achievement, learning efficiency, and instructional choice while subjects learned from a computer-based science tutorial. Principles for instructional design incorporating learner control are…

This article describes a Braille refresher course for Florida teachers that was created in response to concerns about Braille literacy reflected in "Braille bills" in many states. Analysis of pre- and post-test data showed that the 77 teachers improved their Braille skills and reported a high level of confidence in their Braille skills as a result…

Examined effects of a 120-hour preschool training course on caregivers' behavior and children's development in early-years settings in Ireland. Found that caregivers who received training made significant gains in positive relationship and decreased in detachment levels. Children in their care made significant gains in complex social and cognitive…

Although rising student debt levels are frequently studied, very little attention has been paid to the lack of student financial literacy and its negative effects. The absence of financial management skills and accompanying low credit scores can increase debt, cause inadvertent defaults, and be harmful for both students and their institutions. For…

This study examined the long-term effects of participation in a half-day, low-element challenge course on the group functioning of members of college student organizations. Seventy-six participants completed measures of group cohesion, group effectiveness, and individual effectiveness within the group at four points in time: (a) one week prior to…

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are required to pass the same competency exams as students enrolled in general education in order to graduate to new grade levels and to earn a high school diploma. In this study, the authors taught students with SLD a self-directed organizational strategy designed to assist them in passing the…

This study examined the efficacy of a school-based exercise and nutrition program with a parent component. Third-grade children (N = 238) from six elementary schools participated in the study, with three schools randomly assigned to a program group and the other three schools to a control group. The program group received a health-related fitness…

We report two studies in which a parent education program based on Reevaluation Counseling was field-tested on mothers randomly assigned to treatment groups or equivalent, no-treatment comparison groups. The goal was to evaluate the program's viability, whether there were measurable effects, whether those effects were sustained over time, and…

This paper discusses the potential of applying computer-animated instruction (CAnI) as an effective conceptual change strategy in teaching electrochemistry in comparison to conventional lecture-based instruction (CLI). The core assumption in this study is that conceptual change in learners is an active, constructive process that is enhanced by the…

Practical arts is a subject that not only promotes learners' better understanding of work in their daily lives, but also enables them to find ways to solve work-related problems by fostering basic skills and attitudes necessary for performing the work. The teaching of practical arts as a subject should be focused on developing creativity and…

In this paper, the author discusses an exercise she uses requiring students to view a popular film that portrays a particular mental disorder or a character with a mental disorder. Students analyze the film and write two papers, one about the sociological model of mental illness and a second about possible links between media images and the…

Most research in the area of Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) has been designed to compare the effectiveness of instructional technology to traditional lecture-based formats. While results are promising, research also indicates evidence of the steep learning curve imposed by the technology. Yet no studies have been conducted to investigate this…