Presents literature review of research studies that focused on students' learning processes and learner control of instruction. Highlights include computer-assisted instruction; information processing strategies; metacognitive skills; adaptive control; branching; sequence of instruction; feedback; learning strategies; locus of control; and…

Five papers are presented on serving rural gifted students, discussing: advanced academic courses offered through telecommunications; an electronic bulletin board and videotape exchange network; staff development and networking through telecommunications; acceleration strategies in elementary schools; and rural and urban gifted high-school…

College students bring a variety of perceptions to the classroom about what it takes to succeed in a discipline. Attributional retraining, a therapeutic technique for modifying maladaptive perceptions into more adaptive ones, can enhance student motivation and academic achievement. The technique is most effective with students who are at high risk…

During college and after one year of teaching, elementary educators completed surveys regarding their expected computer use in teaching, noting personal variables that might predict computer use. Though 97% predicted computer use, only 61% actually used computers. Self-competence and perceived relevance predicted computer use initially, though not…

A college professor and his undergraduate student daughter discuss student motivation, relate this to the daughter's desire to own a horse, and discuss six concepts for motivation: giving students choices, placing material in context, arousing curiosity, being enthusiastic, giving students a sense of control, and knowing students personally. (JB)

Reports results of a survey of 89 graduate students using criteria taken from popular literature describing the adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) category. No empirical support is found for the ACOA category as defined in popular literature (no significant differences in how ACOA students and non-ACOA students responded to items that are…

Explored relationship between perceived control and treatment outcome with adolescents exhibiting internalizing or externalizing behavior problems. Externalizing offenders experienced better treatment outcomes when they acknowledged their problem and credited themselves with success. Internalizing offenders, who attributed failures to themselves…

Discusses results of interviews with 11 year olds in a longitudinal study of educational progress. Reports that students were aware of the importance of school work. Describes most students as looking forward to secondary school and the study of more specialized subjects. Reports that children perceived academic success as within their control.…

Presents a study extending a model of leadership response based on attribution theories to include measures of locus of control and situational control. Describes a procedure by which subjects responded to descriptions of subordinate performance. Concludes that supervisors with an external locus of control were less sensitive to subordinate…

A brief review of the history of health psychology reveals that many key developments in the field reflect essentially feminist principals. Feminist concerns for inclusiveness and equity influence national health policies in the following areas: (1) violence; (2) acquired immune deficiency syndrome; and (3) policy and planning. (SLD)

Research on children's perceptions of control has identified both changes and consistencies in control beliefs during childhood and early adolescence. Developmental changes in coping have also been documented. Implications of research for interventions aimed at enhancing children's problem-solving and coping skills are discussed. (SLD)

Effectiveness of a three-phase program to provide inner-city high school freshmen with skills to enhance self-perception and exercise greater control over their lives (particularly sexual behavior) was tested. Pretesting and posttesting indicated a significant decrease in frequency of sexual activity and increase in contraception use by program…

Examines how students' perception of risk for 20 environmental hazards are related to gender, community socioeconomic setting, age, and locus of control. The sample was drawn from a large metropolitan area in the southeast. Females had significantly higher risk-perception scores than males. Participants with an internal locus of control posted the…

Two cohorts of students attending an alternative school for chronically disruptive youth received either the standard program or the standard program with additional family involvement. The experimental group experienced statistically significant improvements in locus of control, grade point averages, attendance, and reduced dropout rate, relative…

A study examined responses of 97 California teachers and 59 Guatemalan teachers to vignettes describing boys with and without learning disabilities (LD) who had failed a test. Guatemalan teachers felt more pity and less anger for boys with LD. Both groups provided more rewards to boys expending high effort levels. (Contains references.) (CR)