The use of bilingual graphic organizers (bilingual knowledge maps [BiK maps]) as a presentation format was investigated for the acquisition of foreign language vocabulary. Participants were assigned to 1 of 4 conditions for the task of studying 32 German-English word pairs. Participants in each condition were trained on either lists or BiK maps…

Often, bright young people languish in a setting where repetition and rote learning lull them into passivity. When students are not challenged, they fail to understand that true achievement comes with effort. Because of bureaucratic pressure, limited funding, and large class sizes, teachers often find themselves "teaching to the middle" or…

This paper investigates the learning behaviour, learning environment and learning outcomes of Hong Kong Chinese students enrolled on an Australian university's Bachelor of Business degree course taught by visiting Australian lecturers in Hong Kong. The Chinese students are task-focused and passive learners. They do not demonstrate creative…

Emerging from a human constructivist view of learning and a punctuated model of conceptual change, these studies explored differences in the structural complexity and content validity of knowledge about prehistoric life depicted in concept maps by learners ranging in age from approximately 10 to 20 years. Study 1 (cross-age) explored the…

This paper has two purposes: (1) to describe how qualitative studies, drawing on educational criticism, have thrown into relief some salient features of curriculum and instruction in social studies; and (2) to compare and contrast the current reform proposal to upgrade geography education. The qualitative studies that are reviewed are the…

Schools need to be improved holistically, becoming vigorous community institutions. It is the local school which must be the focus of the efforts of community action and parent and teacher support. There are several major problems which many schools must solve in their effort to improve the educational delivery systems in the 1980s. There need to…

The comprehension and recall of instructional text is heavily dependent upon the contexts in which information input and retrieval occur. College students (N=44) recalled the contents of a hierarchically structured text immediately after study and again six weeks later. Total meaningful recall was better when the superordinate concepts, or cues,…

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…

Retroactive interference (RI) in prose learning was investigated in an experiment where passages were constructed on the basis of a predetermined logical structure. This structure made it possible to operationally define similarity and assess the effects of RI for inferential information as well as that stated directly in the original passage.…

An experiment designed to test the generality of Paivio's two factor theory of meaning to sentence comprehension was carried out, and two scoring procedures were investigated: a verbatim score in which sentence elements had to be recalled exactly as they appeared in the original, and a substance score in which synonyms were accepted. The subjects…

Instances where drilling is useful for advanced language are discussed. Several types of drills are recommended, with the philosophy that advanced level drills should have a lighter style and be regarded as a useful, occasional means of practicing individual new items. (CHK)

Reports a study which examined the effects of audio and visual approaches to rhythm reading and short-term retention in second and sixth grade students. Sixth graders learned the patterns twice as fast as younger children. Simultaneous use of both auditory and visual channels facilitates learning. (Author/AEM)

A discussion of "new math"; "old math" and the ways children learn. (CS)

In genrral, bilingual children do better in serial learning than on recall. (CK)

The neglect of the study of pedagogy in teacher education programs is discussed. Excessive emphasis has been placed on the instruction of theory in the preparation of teachers. The practical application of general teaching skills and their effective application to practice is the central element in the study of pedagogy. (JN)