Arguing that the development of a notion of sense-making is of critical importance to improving science learning, this paper examines science teaching in four Boston (Massachusetts)-area classrooms that participated in an experiment on ways of integrating technology into a sixth-grade science curriculum on the earth's seasons. The task of the…

The study sought to: (1) identify the determinants that motivate Hispanic-American students to enroll in high school chemistry; and (2) determine if providing belief-based information to students and their parents/guardians increases chemistry registration. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) guided the…

The purpose of a study was to explore the link between conceptual understanding, free exploration of hands-on science center exhibits, and Piagetian cognitive developmental levels. In this primarily qualitative study, which is based upon interview and observational data, patterns in children's behavior relating to specific hands-on science center…

There are various learning styles, each with its own characteristics. Some researchers have associated the different styles with specific brain hemispheres. In the past teachers generally have taught with one type of learning style in mind, with much emphasis placed on the outcomes of learning. Increased attention should be paid to the individual…

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Congress have improved the quality, effectiveness, and integrity of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). A basic skills improvement program funded by the DOL was implemented in two Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, worksites. Several implications for managing the changes within JTPA related…

The impact of test item multidimensionality was examined as it affected fitting items on a teacher licensure test to an item response theory (IRT) model. Test item data from the 1990 study of G. W. Guiton and G. Delandshere are used. The Connecticut Elementary Certification Test (CONNECT) is a licensure examination designed to assess the subject…

This paper describes the inadequate leadership in service and educational delivery systems that affects adults with learning disabilities. The lack of leadership creates a situation in which there is no linkage among the professional communities dealing with learning disabilities, and no communication network to transmit knowledge. The problem is…

This study compared possible causal attributions for college success and failure in American and Asian students via a sample of 358 undergraduate students who were administered the Multi-Dimensional-Multi-Attribution Causality Scale (MMCS). American, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian subjects reported a higher average of perceived…

The results are provided of an initial analysis of the reliability (generalizability) of the System for Teaching and Learning Assessment and Review (STAR) as a comprehensive measure of classroom teaching and learning for making teacher certification decisions. The STAR contains 140 indicators of teacher effectiveness and student learning, which…

Papers from the proceedings are: "Cultural Universals in the Acquisition of Language;""The Acquisition of Locative Constructions in Cantonese Children"; "The Acquisition of VOT: Is It Language-Dependent?"; "Flexibility in Semantic Representations: Children's Ability To Switch among Different Interpretations of 'Big' and 'Little'"; "Multifunctional…

This paper reports the outcomes of a motivation training program for preadolescents. The program consisted of activities, strategies, and 18 mini-lessons designed to enhance preadolescents' academic achievement motivation. Cartoon characters were used to present motivational concepts such as causal attributions, self-efficacy, persistence,…

This document presents a basic model of the relationship between leadership, situation, and outcomes. Following a discussion of questions on the nature, origin, and future significance of good school leadership, the conceptual, empirical, and practical tasks of a systematic approach to school leadership are explored. Multiple constituents, school…

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on reader response theory and related instructional strategies is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on…

Compiled in this volume are summaries of the knowledge base on prevention of alcohol and other drug use and mental disorders in children and adolescents. The papers address risk factors, preventive interventions, conceptual and methodological issues, epidemiology, identification, service delivery and treatment, research, and professional training.…

Concerned with what can be done to help produce more thoughtful, critical readers, this report first presents an historical overview of theories on the origin of language, referring to B. F. Skinner, Noam Chomsky, and Jean Piaget, among others. It then discusses biological reasons for the evolution of language and the impact of verbal language on…