This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 15 titles deal with the following topics: (1) the development of a module to attain the leadership competency of encouraging improved interpersonal communication through feedback; (2) communicating in an American Taoist…

In this module, developed by the Research Applications for Teaching (RAFT) project, preservice teachers study the major types of classroom interactions which occur between teachers and students and review the research findings showing how these interactions are related to effective teaching. Much effort is spent on describing procedures for…

To detemine the effectiveness of the Individualized Audio-Tutorial (IAT) method of instruction, an IAT unit in biology was implemented in ninth grade classrooms in an urban school in Israel, and student achievement was measured in relation to gender, academic background in mathematics and biology, and IQ levels. The 180 subjects were randomly…

The literature relating to instructional improvement since 1978 is examined. After a review of implications of recent learning theories, it is concluded that theorists agree generally that: learning is enhanced when the student is active rather than passive; learning is improved by practice and feedback; learning is improved when directed toward…

This speech addresses the relation of effective discipline to the pursuit of academic excellence in schools. The proposed blend of specific strategies, methods, and ways of being conducive to excellence is characterized as "three dimensional discipline." This approach involves: (1) listening to what students are thinking and feeling; (2) clearly…

This paper describes an analysis of facilitation of a student-centered problem-based learning group. The focus of this analysis was to understand the goals and strategies of an expert facilitator in support of collaborative learning. This was accomplished through interaction analysis using video data and stimulated recall to examine two PBL group…

This study contrasts two different ways of analysing interaction and participation in language learning tutorials: Social network analysis of frequency and QSR analysis of type of interaction. One task from three German beginners' language tutorials (one delivered face-to-face, the other two online) is analysed. A description of the background and…

This study explores the extent to which subjective norm beliefs of online learners shape perceptions of ease-of-use and usefulness for the use of course delivery systems. Subjective norm beliefs represent the influence that instructors, mentors, and peers have on students to use the course delivery system. The results show that instructor and…

This document contains 13 research abstracts reported by the 1976-77 standing Research Committee to the Texas Association of Junior College Instructional Administrators. Study topics included are: (1) collective bargaining; (2) educational programs for nontraditional students; (3) verbal interaction between instructors and students; (4) an…

This paper reviews the traditional relationship established between teaching and learning, in which teaching and teachers' concerns take focus. The maintenance of this hierarchical relationshp has resulted in a communication breakdown between educators and students, and a situation into which students have little or no input in terms of changing…

An objective procedure was developed and tested to determine the relative difficulty of Air Force jobs. Also investigated were (1) the measurement of task difficulty to allow comparability across specialties, (2) the quantitative appraisal of job demands based on component tasks being performed, and (3) the comparability of job difficulty to job…

A study investigated 35 third grade students' requests and responses in their reading groups to determine (1) whether peer instructional groups designed to differ according to reading ability do, in fact, differ on measures of reading achievement; (2) how the processes of interaction, particularly requests and responses, differ in these groups;…

Six teachers judged as expert representatives of either Kenneth Goodman's or Caleb Gattegno's theoretical positions were videotaped while working with remedial readers eight to nine years old. Interactions were analyzed using the Analytical System of Student-Teacher Interactions in Reading (ASSTIR). Results indicated that students in both groups…

This study explored the importance of group interaction for learning. It investigated: (1) the relationship between group interaction and achievement, and whether this relationship was constant across ability levels; and (2) the importance of ability, extroversion-introversion, and group composition as predictors of group interaction. The sample…

Student activities relating to the "Vietnam Moratorium" during the month of November, 1969, at the University of Maryland were assessed using observer ratings and descriptions and a pre-post questionnaire. The observational procedure included: an adaptation of Bales Interaction Process Analysis; estimates of crowd size, participation,…