Two experiments were conducted to investigate the perceptual processes involved in haptic exploration of randomly generated shapes. Experiment one required subjects to detect symmetrical or asymmetrical characteristics of individually presented plastic shapes, also varying in complexity. Scanning time for both symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes…

Developing prerequisite learning skills and strategies and providing knowledge necessary to further learning in a particular discipline are the dual roles of a middle-grade content-area teacher. This paper demonstrates how these dual roles can support each other in developing readiness for learning. The importance of readiness for learning is…

The authors surveyed experts in the field of neuro-behavioral research to determine the directions of progress being made in increasing understanding of neural processing and storage of information. Based on this investigation, their report presents examples of research being pursued in this area. The authors see neuro-behavioral research leading…

A relationship is established in this paper between three increasingly broad curriculum matters: Kohlberg's moral development concept; Sample's and Ornstein's theory of cerebral hemispheresity; and legislator-mandated competency testing. The interplay which must develop between the findings in the fields of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology…

The framework presented in this paper uses an organizational perspective to describe and compare alternative approaches to teacher education. Alternatives in teacher education such as competency-based teacher education, humanistic education, or programs typified by academic-oriented, liberal arts teacher education are discussed from the viewpoint…

This paper is concerned with the question of whether and why individuals who know more about a particular knowledge domain acquire domain-related information more readily than individuals who know less about the domain. A conceptual framework is presented that hypothesizes differences in the memory structure of the high-knowledge and low-knowledge…

This document examines the implications of the Phase II report specifically for observation variables that might be used in future Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study (BTES) research, focusing on those variables and patterns of variables that showed the strongest and most consistent relationships with student learning in the Phase II report. The…

Three design strategies for selecting number of instructional instances needed in concept learning were investigated. Two strategies used adaptive procedures for the selection, while a nonadaptive strategy selected instances by number of associated attributes. The data analysis showed that the full adaptive strategy (using pretask and on-task…

This paper describes an experimental course in which the author taught students to improve their learning skills. It is a first step toward constructing a systematic body of knowledge about learning strategies. The course covered four topics, chosen because they were complex enough to require several weeks to make progress, but simple enough that…

This directory is a compilation of audiovisual resources which might be useful for teachers of instructional technology. Subject areas include: (1) media production, (2) communications, (3) research, (4) evaluation, (5) instructional development, (6) educational innovation, and (7) the psychology of learning and motivation. Most of the resources…

This paper considers the possibility and desirability of competency-based education. It examines the present status of behavioral objectives and reviews a recent assessment of most empirical studies on behavioral objectives. It then presents a comparative consideration and assessment of the following teaching models: (1) the impression model, (2)…

Based on an approach that analyzes the structure of educational processes in relation to the structure of its outcome, this paper develops the argument that the function that a specific environment fulfills depends critically on who is in control within the environment, and suggests how the implications of this argument might be tested. The…

This project researched three questions related to the production of cognitive skills in formal elementary and secondary education. The first question dealt with the pattern of student learning over time. It was found that, generally, the elasticity of grade eight knowledge with respect to grade eight school inputs is higher than the elasticity of…

Preliminary results from a longitudinal study of English-speaking children and adults learning Dutch in natural situations suggest that 12- to 15-year-olds learned faster than either older or younger subjects during their first 6 months in Holland. All age differences had disappeared in a group of advanced subjects (English-speakers who had been…

The three purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate a paper-pencil test of critical thinking skills using physical science content, (2) to compare the effectiveness of Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) and non-PSSC physics programs in developing critical thinking skills, and (3) to identify teacher-pupil verbal interaction behaviors that…