Provides an empirically supported rationale for increasing student learning rates by improving the efficiency of learning trials. Describes several procedures that have been shown to improve learning rates without increasing the time allocated for instruction. Examines learning mechanisms that may be operating to improve student achievement. (RJM)

While grieving is a process both children and adults experience, children do not grieve in straightforward ways. There is often a connection between feelings of loss and a child's misbehavior when those feelings are not processed. This article describes how to help children understand the concept of death and offers suggestions for helping them…

This study examined low-income African American and European American preschoolers' socioemotional causal attributions. Results indicate that younger preschoolers, particularly young African Americans, may need help articulating emotions. Adults can support children's emotional reasoning through scaffolding. (Author)

Introduces the "2002-03 Clip and Save Art Prints." Explains that these articles focus on facial expressions. Provides background information on the topic and explains the structure of the articles. Includes three examples of interpretations of facial expressions. (CMK)

Explains how students created artwork as a therapeutic outlet after the attack on the World Trade Center (New York) on September 11th, 2001. Describes a project that focused on patriotism in which students created murals with quotes from national hymns. (CMK)

This 3-year longitudinal study examined depressed affect during early adolescence. Variable-centered analyses yielded general stability in depressed affect for both boys and girls. Person-centered analysis revealed five patterns of depressed affect, with gender differences only in smaller subgroups that showed patterns of change in depressed…

Designed a questionnaire and created a scale measuring studying and learning based on motivation with items answered from ideal, "capability," and studying and learning behavior perspectives. Results for 372 Australian college students support the view that striving for excellence, desire to learn, and personal incentives are important…

Used Rasch analytic procedures to study item bias or differential item functioning in both dichotomous and scalar items on a test of English for academic purposes. Results for 139 college students on a pilot English language test model the approach and illustrate the measurement challenges posed by a diagnostic instrument to measure English…

Examined in four studies whether and when infants connect information about an actor's affect and perception to their action. Found that 12-month-olds, but not 8-month-olds, recognized that an actor was likely to grasp the object she had visually regarded with positive affect. Replicated findings with 12- and 14-month-olds and with several…

Examines the experience of Tasmanian teachers who gave accounts of increased workloads in the 10 years between 1984 and 1994. States that they reported working longer hours, teaching more students, and having increased professional, pastoral, and administrative duties. Highlights the reason for the increased workload. Includes references. (CMK)

Developed an empirical strategy for studying broad-based educational change using quantitative methods and an extensive database consisting of state policy indicators and data on schools and classrooms from states participating in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Results of a Rasch analysis indicate that patterns of state policy…

Examined relations between preschoolers' emotion production and classroom social behavior. Also examined influence of familiarity with a child on the perception of emotion expressions and on those relations between emotion expression and social behavior. Found that children who were more negative and dependent had angry production biases and were…

Focuses on the use of art as a means for students to express their reactions to the September 11, 2001, attacks. Addresses the project, "Drawing Together: Kids Against Terrorism," a collection of Internet artwork by students that focused on their response to the attacks. Includes student artwork. (CMK)

A member of the Canadian Aboriginal women's vocal ensemble Asani describes how the group's songs, words, and performances address and deconstruct Aboriginal stereotypes. These stereotypes include misconceptions of how Aboriginal people should look and dress, the status and accomplishments of Aboriginal women, the extent of their education and…

Investigates teachers' concerns about the Target-Oriented Curriculum (TOC) in Hong Kong (China). Finds that most teachers showed concern about the management of TOC (found in the third stage) and most were concerned with efficiency, time demands, organization, scheduling, and the best use of resources. Includes references. (CMK)