Surveyed elderly persons (N=l,224) aged 60+ to determine social network ties and awareness of available services. Found following factors predictive of service awareness: having nonkin advisors; club membership; other community agency contacts; and availability of transportation, education, and moderate-sized kin networks. Found following…

How prior knowledge influences short-term non-verbal and verbal memory and long-term retention was studied in 32 seventh and 32 eighth graders of high and low reading ability. Greater knowledge of the text's subject resulted in improved recall and retention. No interactions were found between prior knowledge and reading ability. (SLD)

A study investigated medical school faculty and student knowledge and perceptions of group dynamics in the context of problem-based learning (PBL). Observation of 27 first-year medical students and 3 faculty in University of Toronto medical school PBL groups revealed a generally low awareness of effective group dynamics. Comprehensive medical…

This article explores factors underpinning the teaching of science to pupils with moderate and severe learning difficulties, as prescribed by England's National Curriculum. The article examines teachers' beliefs about the nature of learning difficulties and their role in enabling pupils to learn, teachers' beliefs about science and their teaching…

Evaluated the Morro do Diabo State Park environmental education program using the Planning-Process-Product evaluation model. Formative evaluation provided educators with continuous feedback to improve activities. A study of 144 students from grades 5-8 who visited the park to develop environmental awareness demonstrated that the program was…

Reports on a study of the mathematical knowledge, strategies, and representations of 16 socially and ethnically diverse preschool children. Finds that the children bring a wide range of competencies that generally are more advanced than the curriculum content presented at that level. (CFR)

Study compared pedagogical knowledge structures about effective teaching of preservice teachers and teacher educators. Groups of preservice teachers completed concept maps about effective teaching at two different times. Data were compared with teacher educators' concept maps. Differences between the groups of preservice teachers and between…

Analysis of survey responses of 152 recent art education graduates found that, although most reported teaching students with disabilities in integrated classes, they felt less than adequately prepared for this assignment. The requirement of one special education course or infusion of special education content into art education courses was seen as…

This article describes the involvement of the Council for Exceptional Children's Division for Children with Communication Disorders in a multiorganizational project to develop a list of statements of needed knowledge and skills for all beginning teachers of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The list of statements is appended. (DB)

Higher education institutions can enhance school reform by establishing accountability measures for professional preparation of curriculum specialists. The article describes a knowledge base of curriculum domains and related practices. A quantifiable compendium of operationalized behaviors and skills can help establish frameworks for program…

An awareness program on learning disabilities was conducted for secondary school students in 24 schools, as part of a 1-year project of Memorial University of Newfoundland to provide a varied and sequenced set of services to college-bound students with learning disabilities. This article discusses the program rationale, its procedures, description…

Examined the effects of print exposure on growth of declarative knowledge and vocabulary in 133 college students and 49 elderly adults. Compared groups on two general knowledge tasks, vocabulary, working memory, syllogistic reasoning, and print exposure. Found that exposure to print was a significant predictor of declarative and vocabulary…

This study examined the effectiveness of school-based drug education in affecting knowledge, attitudes, decision making, motivation, and self-esteem. Pre- and postintervention surveys of fourth through eighth graders indicated that self-esteem did not improve significantly. Knowledge and attitude scores improved significantly, with a positive…

Students' experiences of revision were used to clarify the concept of understanding for 24 undergraduates through interviews describing the nature of their understanding and how it was reached. Contrasting forms of understanding were discovered. Implications for teaching and learning in higher education are discussed. (SLD)

Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) is a technique in which audiotapes are used to evoke students' memories concerning their own thinking. Reports a study using IPR to probe elementary students' (n=17) thinking during a problem-solving situation. Concluded that IPR has potential in classroom research. (MDH)