Automation is changing the American workplace. It is redefining roles, changing corporate culture, and altering the demographics of the work force. In the first of a three-part series, a noted forecaster provides an overview of the coming changes. (CT)

The authors suggest a broad range of writing activities for students in subject area classes, which will foster content learning as well as writing proficiency; a network of teachers skilled in developing curriculum materials based on writing; and expectations for writing in content area classes, such as mathematics, science, and social studies.…

Discusses seven strategies that program developers and trainers can use to produce more rapid acquisition, retention, and transfer of work skills, including: discover basic skills and concepts; analyze, define, and field test; produce and verify mastery; teach basic skills and general principles; teach trainees both correct and incorrect examples;…

A classroom activity that allows college freshmen to examine their approach to studying course material and to discuss alternative approaches, developed and found successful in a general chemistry course, is described and discussed. (MSE)

Examined effects of a short-term, social problem-solving training program on latency-aged children. The intervention was taught over weeks to one-half of a fourth-grade class at an inner city parochial school. Results indicated that program children learned to generate more alternative solutions to problems and to anticipate their consequences.…

This article presents a model of a pretechnical curriculum, which has as its focus the self-empowerment of the individual, and describes how this curriculum could be implemented in the schools. Discusses the three curriculum categories: generalizable skills, transition skills, and problem-solving skills. (CT)

Role-playing games and simulations offer revolutionary ways to learn and solve problems. Some games/simulations that can be used to explore and evaluate possible futures are described. The future of educational games is also discussed. (RM)

Reports results of a questionnaire designed to discover the similarities and/or differences among academic training and development curricula in U.S. colleges and universities. Results concern role clusters, types of degrees and average years offered, training and development roles by department, and rank of competencies taught. (CT)

Discusses issues related to how students should use computers in schools. Indicates that using computers as tools leads to further experimentation and new discoveries and that skills learned in the computing process can be used to find innovative ways to solve new problems. (JN)

A lesson on the French Revolution illustrates how reading, writing, reasoning, and researching skills can be integrated into history instruction. (RM)

Outlines research conducted at Brigham Young University to identify effective, efficient computer-based drill and practice instructional strategies for teaching paired associate or multiple discrimination tasks. A sophisticated computer-based drill and practice is contrasted with a simple flashcard strategy. Research supporting the sophisticated…

Describes a class project in which students determine the best brand of paper towel in several categories. The activities and experiments completed during the project foster observation, measuring, collecting, data evaluation, writing, and mathematics skills. (BC)

Points out that the effectiveness of microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) activities will be examined. Also indicates that a study is being conducted to assess children's and college students' mental models of heat and temperature and to determine how these models change when students learn about heat through MBLs. (JN)

Criticizes topical readers on the English language now being used in freshman composition classes both for implying that language constrains more than aids thinking and for providing poor writing samples for the student to analyze and emulate. Discusses the influence of general semantics on these readers and the reliance on the parodic perspective…

Reports results of two studies of the reactions of viewers of a 38-minute audiovisual program about the role of teacher empathy in the classroom. Notes that viewers' interpersonal skills and empathy increased significantly. Discusses the importance of teacher empathy in view of teachers' influence on students. (SB)