The subjects for this study, which examined the relationship of cognitive style and ability to the initial acquisition of computer programming competence, were 46 college students enrolled in a computer literacy course. The selected cognitive style (field-independence) and three cognitive abilities (logical reasoning, spatial ability, and…

This study of the application of cognitive style theory to the development of computer-based instruction explored two questions, i.e., whether computer-based courseware can be designed to address specific learner characteristics, and, if so, which characteristics. Several factors involved in the optimization of instruction are described: learner…

To reduce disciplinary cases without using suspension or alienating teachers and parents is a challenging task for principals. Forcing teachers to tolerate unruly student behavior is no solution. When both teachers and principals experience failure in eliciting desirable student attitudes and behavior, some relief measures are appropriate. This…

The recent interest in reflective teaching has resulted in a number of studies in which reflective teaching is proposed as an important aim to be achieved through teacher education programs. Programs for the development of reflective teaching have been proposed, however, attempts at clarifying the meaning of reflective teaching have been scarce.…

This paper summarizes research on learning styles, then examines the cognitive style of Native American primary school students. Five theories of cognitive style (Dunn and Dunn, Gregorc, Kagan, Witkin, and Cohen) are examined along with the test instruments these theories have fostered. A sixth concept of cognitive style, brain hemispheric…

The Teacher Education and Learning to Teach Study of the National Center for Research on Teacher Education combines case studies of teacher education programs with longitudinal studies of teacher learning. In this paper, the development of the theoretical framework on which instrumentation for the longitudinal study is based is discussed.…

The present study was designed to test how well the measures of the cognitive constructs of M-space, cognitive style, and short-term storage space (STSS) could predict the amount of practice needed to induce successful problem solving behaviors, the ability to transfer behaviors to different contexts, and the readiness to abandon unsuccessful…

Data from the Joint Council on Economic Education's National Assessment of Economic Education (NAEE) Survey, gathered during the 1986-87 school year, provide material for a large-sample study of a broad variety of determinants of economic understanding and attitudes at the precollege level. The NAEE Survey, consisting of four questionnaires,…

This review of the literature on interactive video examines research and evaluation reports in the context of the continuing debate over the effectiveness of media debate and Richard E. Clark's argument that media do not have a substantial impact on learning. The literature is examined from four perspectives: (1) behavioral issues (e.g., whether…

This report focuses on the visual component of verbo-visual literacy, a communications concept involving the production, transmission, and perception of verbal and visual images. Five current problem areas in verbal-visual research are introduced and discussed: (1) communication (communication models, media consumption, new media, the information…

This study investigated the relationships between the online searching behavior of novice searchers and three measures of learning style--the Learning Style Inventory (LSI), the Remote Association Test (RAT), and the Symbolic Reasoning Test (SRT). The three tests were administered to 76 graduate students during the first class meeting of a…

Implemented in an urban community college's child development teacher training program, this practicum project addressed the problem of discrepancies between training and work environments. General goals of the practicum were: (1) to design a learning styles training format for preschool teachers; (2) to provide teachers with factual information…

A guide to developing lesson plans for classroom instruction in English as a second language (ESL) based on learning style theory draws on the experience of the Arlington County Schools (Virginia). It begins by describing the theory of learning styles, their applications, and the process of developing lesson plans by "4matting," which postulates…

Low self-esteem and depressed individuals tend to have an attributional style of externalizing success and internalizing failure. To evaluate a program developed to help reverse this pattern of responses to be more similar to high self-esteem and nondepressed individuals, subjects were first tested for self-esteem, depression, and attributional…

This text is a compilation of articles focusing on second language teaching, second language learning, and learning materials. Written in honor of Dr. Mary Finocchiaro, it epitomizes her work in the field of language teaching by presenting both theory and practice in the second language classroom. The articles include (1) "What is Second Language…