A meta-analysis of findings from 24 controlled evaluations showed computer-assisted instruction (CAI) usually has positive effects on adult learners, i.e., it raised examination scores and reduced instruction time. Reliable conclusions could not be reached on CAI's long-term cognitive effects because of small number of studies investigating such…

This English-Spanish language booklet is designed to help parents understand two important features of special education services, accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities. Examples of accommodations and modifications are provided, federal laws requiring schools to provide accommodations and modifications are cited, and…

This study investigated the effects of audio and text density on the achievement, time-in-program, and attitudes of 134 undergraduates. Data concerning the subjects' preexisting computer skills and experience, as well as demographic information, were also collected. The instruction in visual design principles was delivered by computer and included…

Discusses research on learner control, pacing, and sequence, and describes a study of undergraduates that was conducted to determine the effects of learner versus program control of pacing and sequence in an interactive video lesson on photography. Results are analyzed, and suggestions for further research are given. (38 references) (LRW)

Describes a study that compared the effects of cooperative and individual learning on fifth and sixth grade student performance and attitudes during interactive videodisc instruction for science. The use of heterogeneous ability groups is discussed, time on task is examined, and further research is suggested. (22 references) (LRW)

Discusses future changes in instruction, particularly in grades five through nine. Highlights include technology-induced changes; changes in the authority structure, including teachers as managers of information; multidimensional learning environments; rate of learning, including time on task; curriculum knowledge of teachers; thinking skills and…

Describes a study of undergraduate students that investigated the effects of two types of learner control and two types of incentives--task-contingent and performance-contingent--on learners' achievement, attitudes, use of options, and time on program using computer-delivered instruction. Implications for instructional design and research are…

This study examined differences between kindergarten and first-grade children identified as at risk (AR) or not at risk (NAR) for the development of severe emotional disturbance on selected factors of classroom dynamics. Screening, using the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders measure, of all 628 kindergarten and first-grade children at…

Following the introduction of a one-credit practice lab, and computer-assisted practice into a developmental reading course at the Riverside Campus of Austin Community College (Texas), students made gains on course exit test scores. In an effort to determine whether the test-score gains were due to increased practice time or due to the use of…

This second issue of a series on theory, innovation, and practice in andragogy analyzes some of the instructional variables in adult learning and discusses ways to influence the degree of learning through the application of instructional and behavioral technologies. It unites theory and practice, generating recommendations from the abstract…

Designed to develop a more practical model for adapting context to learner interests, this study used computer-based instruction to make alternative contexts for statistics problems--sports, business, education, or no-context--available for selection by individual learners. The subjects were 227 undergraduate students enrolled in required…

In an effort to help determine the processes underlying the acquisition of various mathematical skills, this study examines some of the effects of computer based instruction on achievement in mathematics. The research reported in this document is based on the following questions: (1) what is the relationship between such attributes as sex,…

This professional development guide is designed for vocational education practitioners to use with a separately available handbook on time-use analysis and an optional videotape on conducting workshops on time-use analysis. Examined first is the importance of analyzing time on task. After a discussion of the importance of planning, a six-point…

This report summarizes the results of a national survey of U.S. elementary and secondary schools, conducted during the 1982-83 school year, which focused on the schools' instructional use of microcomputers, including use both as a means of instruction and as an object of instruction. Specific topic areas covered include: the number of…

The study reported in this paper quantitatively integrated the recent research findings on ability grouping in order to generalize about these effects on student achievement and student self-concept. Meta-analysis was used to statistically integrate the empirical data. The relationships among various experimental variables including grade level,…