This report describes an automated system for administering, scoring, and recording results of multiple-choice tests. The system consists of examinee station, proctor station, and central computer; the report describes the equipment and the programing characteristics of the respective components. The system is designed for tests tailored to the…

This paper explores the effects of item choice on ability estimation when using a tailored testing procedure based on the Rasch simple logistic model. Most studies of the simple logistic model imply that ability estimates are totally independent of the items used, regardless of the testing procedure. This paper shows that the ability estimate is…

This paper argues that the fundamental problem of individual inequalities in school success should be solved. Individual inequalities exist because present forms of schooling serve only a fraction of the different individuals in the population and because of the absurdity that precociousness in young children sets the standard for school success.…

In latent trait models the standard procedure for handling the problem caused by guessing on multiple choice tests is to estimate a parameter which is intended to measure the "guessingness" inherent in an item. Birnbaum's three parameter model, which handles guessing in this manner, ignores individual differences in guessing tendency. This paper…

This study stems from attempts to develop prediction equations for freshman grade point average for two demographic classifications of students at a southwestern university. Although the particular results are probably of interest only to that university, certain aspects of the study should be of general interest, because, of the 3,237 students…

The perceptual-developmental research of Kagan and Witkin elicited this study of cognitive style. The work of these two researchers leads to the conclusion that differences between graphic expressions of children of the same age reflect differences in the children's mode of information processing. Specifically, this study sought to test the…

Every human being is always open to some degree; for example, open for learning, experience, change, improvement, or further degradation by his own standards or those of others. Every experience alters an individual's learning capacity. Therefore, to say a child is naturally of high or low intelligence with unlimited or limited learning power is…

While many studies have demonstrated the relatively successful performance implications of formalized goal-setting programs in organizations, these findings typically do not identify the specific factors behind such techniques which are largely responsible for their success. Toward this end, research relating to six factor-analytically derived…

Discussion centered on three sets of factors that may influence the variability observed in "concept identification" (concept formation and discrimination learning) studies: stimulus characteristics, incentives employed, and subject characteristics. Stimulus characteristics are described in terms of the number of dimensions…

This study sought to describe how work values of 110 disadvantaged persons differ from those of 180 regularly employed, unskilled and semiskilled subjects, to identify biographical correlates of work values endorsed by the hard core, and to detect changes in work values as a function of training. Data were gathered via questionnaires and…

Sociological research on job satisfaction among civilian workers is reviewed for possible implications for Naval manpower policy. The methodological and conceptual assumptions of civilian studies are examined. The variety of measurement used, and some ambiguity of terminology are discussed in relation to the usefulness of these studies for Naval…

Four research papers discuss the influence of social cues on children's behavior. Specifically, the focus of this program of research was to systematically investigate the impact of two classes of social cues: (1) implicit or explicit instructional cues inherent in social interactions, and (2) inferred or actual evaluative cues present in…

One of the basic problems in relating learning theories to instructional strategies is that traditionally learning theory has researched the micro unit whereas the instructional environment studies the macro unit. Traditionally, instructional strategy research and development takes the learner as he comes, an integrated organism. In learning…

The human life course is examined so as to clarify the nature and meaning of age to members of different social classes at different periods of their lives. The author utilizes a developmental framework: life is made up of interlinked role sequences involving cumulative learning. Each stage builds on the previous one. Within this framework, the…

One hundred and sixty-six second graders were administered the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) and a visual and auditory memory test. Intraindividual discrepancies between a child's performance on comparable visual and auditory measures served to identify him as a visual or an auditory learner. Significantly more 5-year-old…