This study investigated how the adoption of a constructivist model of teaching and learning and simple item analysis techniques can be used to explore the instructor's pedagogical content knowledge in teaching elementary statistics. Descriptive data (percent of students responding to multiple-choice test options) are provided that support the case…

The Commission on the Status of Women section of the Proceedings contains the following five papers: "Women as Sources: Gender Patterns in Framing the News" (Lynn M. Zoch and Judy VanSlyke Turk); "Gender Bias in Newspaper Coverage of the 1996 Olympic Games: A Content Analysis of Five Major Dailies" (Katherine N. Kinnick);…

The Mass Communication and Society Division section of the proceedings contains the following 12 papers: "Retreads: Recycling American Prime Time Television for Fun and Profit" (Chad Dell); "Partisan and Structural Balance of Election Stories on the 1998 Governor's Race in Michigan" (Frederick Fico and William Cote);…

This study examined the development of empathy and role-taking skills in 194 Finnish students in Grades 6 and 9. Students wrote a story about a moral conflict in their school involving themselves or their friends. Story content and theme were analyzed and compared across age groups. Findings indicated that the themes of conflicts could be…

Universities and educationally-oriented researchers have turned to survey research, advisory boards, and content analyzing newspaper want ads to provide guidance in keeping their curricula and IS/IT (Information Systems/Information Technology) course contents up-to-date. While such approaches can provide insight into the range of skills that…

This study surveys previous research about systems librarians and performs a systematic examination of position requirements through analysis of position announcements, responsibilities, required skills, job titles, degree requirements, personality qualifications, and salaries. The educational needs and emergent curriculum appropriate for…

News media hold significant power and responsibility in focusing public attention on child-related issues. This document summarizes a study of news coverage of children in national media in 1994 and reports on the follow-up conducted in 1998. The follow-up study was based on a sample of national news coverage collected throughout November 1998…

Two studies related content coverage to pupil achievement. With ability and socioeconomic status controlled, a correlation of .40 was obtained between content and coverage and achievement. Significant correlations were also obtained between teacher coverage and achievement for two groups of teachers covering two units two months apart. (Author/RD)

Describes a series of teaching activities to be used in conjunction with a reproduction of Joseph Glidden's patent for barbed wire fencing. These include document analysis, creative interpretation, and personal experience. Presents a brief history of the social and economic effects of the introduction of barbed wire to the West. (MJP)

Illustrates how Radial Basis Function (RBF) network techniques can be used to explore questions concerning authorship of historic documents. Demonstrates the utility and potential for using quantitative techniques to assist in the decision-making process in relatively subjective disciplines. Compares RBF neural network techniques with more…

Analyzes the art criticism of nine university art education students writing about the work of Robert Rauschenberg. Identifies the students' use or nonuse of thematic unity, intertextuality, opposition, and description. These thinking strategies are primarily found in the works of three professional art critics. (MJP)

Analyzes 10 editions of an introductory college psychology textbook to determine changes in the content. Reveals that coverage of consciousness, personality, abnormal (disorders), therapies, and social psychology increased, while coverage of introductory material, learning, methods, intelligence, developmental psychology, and applied psychology…

Reviews and recommends a series of books using picture postcards to trace a geographical journey. The geographical regions include France, Mexico, Canada, Russia, and the United States. The books introduce young readers to different geographic locations and ways of life. (MJP)

Reports on an exploration of gender bias in the multiple-choice portions of six Canadian social studies examinations. Considers the lack of women's experiences reflected in the questions, formal content, and epistemological stance. Concludes that gender biases do exist in the questions and may have contributed to differences in achievement. (MJP)

Describes how problem solving was incorporated into a clinical science curriculum by using a team teaching approach. The review of the content domain, the examination of objectives and test items, and the steps in the team development are included. The steps in development of the program are considered. (KR)