Six reading textbook series and two standardized reading tests were examined for their uses of 16 syntax structures and the sequential patterns of increasing complexity of syntax structures within each series. Results were as follows: although the series showed overall increases in complexity across the six grades, the increases were not…

CHANGE IN INFORMATION PROCESSING AND CHANNEL CAPACITY WITH INCREASE IN AGE WAS STUDIED, AND POSSIBLE ALTERING OF THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH A CHANGE IN COMPLEXITY AND DIMENSIONALITY OF THE STIMULUS PRESENTED. VISUAL STIMULI WERE PROJECTED ON A SCREEN TO FOUR GROUPS COMPOSED OF 74 COLLEGE GRADUATES, RANGING IN AGE FROM 23 TO 68 YEARS, IN A SIMULATED…

Transformed item difficulties, chi-square, item characteristic curve (icc) theory and factor score techniques were evaluated as approaches for the identification of biased test items. The study was implemented to determine whether the approaches would provide identical classifications of items as to degree of aberrance for culturally different…

Sixty young men between 18 and 26 years of age and 60 within the 65-75 year age range, matched for verbal ability and socioeconomic status, were given two paired associate learning tasks differing in level of difficulty under neutral, supportive, and challenging instructions. Older persons revealed a greater performance decrement on the more…

A study of University of Alberta freshmen's attitudes about their university experiences and their transition from high school focused on influences in their attendance, personal goals, self-perceived preparation for college, curriculum difficulty, adjustment needs, and fulfillment of expectations. (MSE)

This study examined differences in time needed for learning for three types of learning tasks from Bloom's taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, and application. Seventh and eighth graders (N=88) were given five repeated trials to master three simulated classroom tasks. Large differences were found between tasks in mastery rates, information…

This document contains the framework and a set of recommendations for the NAEP 2007 mathematics assessment, which will assess student achievement nationally and state-by-state, as well as in select urban districts, in grades 4 and 8. It includes descriptions of the mathematical content of the test, the types of test questions, and recommendations…

This paper discusses the use of a teacher-designed text of authentic reading materials (such as a university catalog, grocery store catalog, and tourist information brochures) in place of a commercially-produced textbook in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. It is argued that such materials provide ESL students with greater access…

The relationship between gender and performance on mathematics items varying in level of cognitive complexity and content was assessed, using 1,789 female and 1,951 male Thai adolescents and 2,040 female and 1,884 male American adolescents. Data suggest that performance relative to both cognitive complexity and content is related to gender. (TJH)

A study found that students, grades 8-11, leaving immersion programs were dissatisfied with the quality of instruction and the content and difficulty of immersion courses, and felt better grades would be obtained in the English program. A greater percentage of immersion students felt bilingual education would lead to better employment and…

Increasingly, four-year college students are taking additional courses at nearby two-year colleges, for a variety of reasons: to reduce costs, to sample technical education, for scheduling purposes, for smaller classes, and for less difficult courses. In some cases, the four-year college may contract with the two-year college to provide remedial…

Argues for simplification in the use and development of bibliographic standards to increase usability by librarians and patrons and to reduce costs for libraries. The application of technology such as hypertext is also considered. (EA)

A study with 288 college psychology students investigated the relationship between students' perceptions of the reasons for their academic success or failure (explanatory schemas) and the quality of instruction. Results are discussed in terms of the role of explanatory schemas as buffers or compensations for ineffective instruction. (Author/MSE)

Extends dynamic model of cognitive growth proposed by van Geert in three directions: (1) added a term to consider exposure to material to be learned; (2) developed method to apply model to cross-sectional studies; and (3) developed procedure to scale cognitive abilities tests with items of varying difficulty. Tests model with 2- to 15-year-olds'…

This study investigated the impact of recency effect on multiple rule-based problem solving in an interactive multimedia environment. Forty-five college students were recruited and assigned to two groups: synchronized and unsynchronized interactive multimedia groups based on their spatial ability score. Results show that students in the…