Confirmatory factor analysis is presented as providing appropriate techniques for the analysis and evaluation of questionnaires and tests if the content of the measure can be identified as consisting of groups of items, with each group measuring only a single trait. This approach is contrasted with latent trait theory which assumes (and does not…

The hypothesis is investigated that unproportional experience with uncontrollable situations for black and lower class individuals leads to an increased susceptibility to the poorer cognitive performance indicative of helplessness. Black and white lower and middle-class second and tenth graders were given no problems, solvable diagraph problems,…

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TWOFOLD--(1) TO FIND WHAT LOGICAL HABITS AND ABILITIES POSSESSED BY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WERE DEMONSTRATED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF COMPOSITIONAL TASKS, AND (2) TO COMPARE THE WRITTEN COMPOSITIONS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO HAD STUDIED UNDER THE NEBRASKA CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CENTER'S LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM…

Two studies examined modifiability in intellectual functioning in older adults. The fluid-crystallized theory provided a theory base for the research. (Fluid intelligence follows a normative decline through adulthood, while crystallized intelligence remains stable or even increases.) In the first study thirty subjects (average age 69.2)…

One of a series of materials developed by Project APT (Administrators, Parents, and Teachers/Assessment, Programing, and Training), a program designed to foster home/school coordination in educational planning and program inplementation for severely mentally retarded and/or multiply handicapped students; the booklet provides the Developmental…

The purpose of the present study was to compare performance of bilingual and monolingual children on certain language-related skills. Fifteen children between the ages of three years, eight months, and seven years were matched for age and sex in each of the following four groups: middle-class monolinguals, lower-class monolinguals, Spanish-English…

TO IMPROVE THE DEVELOPMENTAL RATE OF CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN, A PRESCHOOL PROGRAM WAS OFFERED WHICH CONSISTED OF A PLANNED SEQUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULATION BASED ON THE THEORY THAT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS THROUGH MOTOR-PERCEPTUAL-SYMBOLIC PHASES. SEVENTY-TWO DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN WERE DIVIDED INTO THREE MATCHED GROUPS. GROUP A…

This paper discusses research exploring the performance factors involved in studies which test for formal operations. It is suggested that several previous studies dealing with formal operations confound performance and competence in determining the extent of subjects' formal operations schemata. Factors which might account for performance…

This paper reviews studies in which scores on Piagetian tests of logical thought were correlated with IQ, mental age (MA) and chronological age (CA), and examines the possible effects of the size of the age range and mean age of subjects on these correlations. The data included 44 groups of subjects obtained from 36 studies in which Piagetian and…

This conference report contains the following papers: "Ability versus Knowledge in Testing Educational Achievement" and "Knowledge vs. Ability in Achievement Testing," by Robert L. Ebel; "A Four-Domain Taxonomy for Classifying Educational Tasks and Objectives," by Bruce W. Tuckman; "On the Social Psychology of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Further…

This paper relates work in the area of pupil growth measures to administrative tasks and decision-making. The topics synthesized include measurement of pupil growth, accountability and evaluation, and personnel systems management. A critical review, analysis and synthesis of pertinent literature is the major source of information, although…

The summary final report of the Anthropology Curriculum Project is intended to provide an account of accomplishments and findings. The purpose of the Project was to develop and field test systematic content in anthropology for elementary social studies, with progressive development centered on mastery of the fundamental concepts and their…

This study assessed some of the cognitive and affective elements for both the traditional and mini curricula. The hypothesis, stated in the null form, was there will be no difference between students in the mini-course curriculum and the traditional curriculum on a number of stated cognitive variables (focusing on critical thinking and reading…

This monograph was designed to disseminate the results of recent scientific research in rehabilitation counseling and related areas. The 21 abstracts reflect the research currently underway in universities, rehabilitation facilities, and rehabilitation research institutes throughout the country. Sample topics include: (1) "A Descriptive Study of…

Discusses the evolution of current decision support systems (DSS) computer software and their potential for use in assessing cognitive ability. Current applications of computer software for structured and unstructured problem solving are examined together with the feasibility of computerized adaptive testing. Characteristics of computer-based…