This paper describes the possible effects of feedback on learning (associations) using a connectionist tool, the delta rule. Feedback in instruction can be described in terms of the interaction of stimulus inputs and response outputs, an associationist perspective. Here the delta rule is applied to each instance that an input and an output likely…

A pretest posttest experimental group design was used to study the effects that computer assisted instruction (CAI) has on urban school, tenth grade students' achievement in global studies. Students were selected and assigned to one of two groups using random selection and assignment techniques. A pretest confirmed the equivalence of the two…

Based on the view that positive peer relationships help children function successfully at school, this study examined how teachers can help rejected, aggressive, or controversial children build social skills in a small group setting. Participating were three kindergarten students at a rural Alaskan elementary school, selected because they…

McDougal, Littell and Company has designed the geography program called "Daily Geography" which incorporates geography into the daily social studies curriculum. "Daily Geography" aims to increase students' knowledge and understanding of the physical aspects of geography. A study tested the "Daily Geography" program to…

Although a national consensus has emerged regarding the importance of extending publicly-funded health insurance coverage to low-income children under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Medicaid, substantial numbers of eligible children remain uninsured. This study examined whether extending insurance coverage to low-income…

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate that an audiotape desensitization treatment procedure, administered over a 19-day period, would be an effective means of treating test-taking anxiety. Subjects were students seeking treatment from a university counseling center. Results indicated that the treated subjects showed significant…

A reanalysis of data from a 1980 Miami University study on sentence-combining in freshman writing courses investigated the role of reading comprehension (measured by the Sequential Test of Educational Progress) as a predictor of growth in writing skills (measured by syntactic and qualitative criteria). (Author/PN)

Examined is the effectiveness of three imagery learning strategies (copy, relational, and hierarchical) for acquiring different outcomes when individuals received visual instructional information varying in visual stimulus complexity. The hierarchical strategy was generally more effective in processing the different levels of information than the…

Investigates the short-term impact of a smoking curriculum for children. Attitudes of the experimental group tended to become less negative, and they improved more in knowledge. The absolute gains in knowledge scores were, however, relatively small, indicating the need for further modifications in the curriculum material. (Author)

The consequences of using alternative measures of time and achievement are examined in an observational study of 18 elementary school classes. The extent to which choice of the same model linking time and learning for all students was implicated in the inconsistent results is examined. (Author/GK)

The cognitive styles of fifth-grade students and their teachers were assessed. Some teachers were made aware of the educational implications of field-dependence-independence and of the individual styles of their students and themselves. Self-concept and attitude toward school were measured prior to and at the conclusion of the experiment.…

It was noted that many students seeking assistance from university counselors have negative self-concepts. A study was undertaken at the University of Tasmania of members of a self-enhancement group. A comparison of pre- and posttest scores on the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale indicates that significant improvement was made. (Author/JMD)

Twenty-five audiotutorial lessons in laboratory animal medicine were evaluated by students enrolled in courses at six schools of veterinary medicine. Results indicate that the lessons are an effective learning resource, that prior knowledge did not significantly influence final test scores, and that subjective qualities did not affect learning.…

The Attitude toward Arts Education Scale (ATAES) was developed to assess attitude change in elementary school teachers resulting from a K-6 arts education program. This paper describes the instrument's construction and its reliability and validity properties. A copy of the ATAES is appended. (Author/SJL)

Classroom teachers who worked with high-skilled consultants improved significantly more in problem clarification skills following consultant contact than teachers who worked with low-skilled consultants. Working with high skilled consultants not only increased the quantity of information about a child but the quality as well. (Author)