Describes study designed to examine the effects of textual and/or computer animated orienting strategies and practice on rule-using and problem-solving skills of elementary school students using computer-assisted instruction. Four different versions of a lesson based on Isaac Newton's Law of Motion are described, and results are analyzed. (28…

An interview discusses future plans for the Centre of English as an International Language (University of Cambridge, England), the relationship of cognitive science to second language acquisition and to the role of research in applied linguistics in Great Britain, and the relevance of applied linguistics for teachers of English as a Foreign or…

This review of 20 studies examines 3 predictions concerning the effects of conceptual models on students' understanding of scientific prose: (1) that models improve recall of conceptual information; (2) that they decrease verbatim retention; and (3) that they increase creative solutions on transfer problems. (SLD)

Teachers' actions are thought to produce certain types of student thinking. To devise effective inservice programs, educators must understand four learning principles and five thinking dimensions enabling students to develop positive learning attitudes and acquire, integrate, and extend their knowledge. A new "curriculum" of preservice…

Presents an analysis of non-native English verbs of saying constructions, such as "discuss about" and "explain about," as they are realized in Nepali English. It is suggested that the analysis of Nepali English constructions offer important insights into second language acquisition and language change. (30 references)…

Reports on the assessment of student thinking in the area of commitment to the laws of conservation of matter and energy during a study of conceptual change among introductory chemistry students. States four conditions upon which strategies for conceptual change are based. (RT)

The reliability of derived measures from 4 cognitive paradigms was studied using 19 Navy enlisted men (aged between 18 and 24 years). The paradigms were: graphemic and phonemic analysis; semantic memory retrieval; lexical decision making; and letter classification. Results indicate that derived scores may have low reliability. (SLD)

Discusses the inadequacies of standard conceptions of the writing process by relating the experiences of one child in a writing class. Proposes alternative ways to expand the concept of the writing process by incorporating related activities in reading, art, and drama. (MS)

Discussion of the use of computer-based information retrieval systems in schools focuses on three paper and pencil experiments conducted in the United Kingdom that were designed to investigate how 9- to 11-year-olds organized and retrieved information from four organizational structures: lists, hierarchies, networks, and tables. (18 references)…

A theory is proposed for how students develop competence with the written symbols of decimal fractions. Competence is viewed as the cumulative and sequential mastery of four separate cognitive processes. The theory was tested with small groups of students, most of whom were able to acquire the first two processes. (MNS)

Discusses information technology and its effects on developmental psychology and children's education. Topics discussed include a theory of child-computer interaction (CCI); programing; communication and computers, including electronic mail; cognitive science; artificial intelligence; modeling the user-system interaction; and the future of…

Five women university students' representations of their learning were analyzed and related to their on-going adaptations to course demands. Representations involved their goals, working plans and perceptions of difficulties. Qualitative data from students' accounts were tabulated schematically in relation to Duncker's concepts of productive…

Children's magical explanations and beliefs were investigated in two studies. Found that many four-year olds view magic as a plausible mechanism, yet reserve magical explanations for certain real world events that violate their causal expectations. Parents and culture at large may at first actively support magical beliefs whereas peers and schools…

Asserts that the arts, including art, music, dance, and theater, often are ignored or shortchanged in the school curriculum. Discusses how language education has assumed a central place in the school curriculum and whether art education can use curriculum integration to achieve the same status. (CFR)

Contends that appropriately designed questions are essential tools in disciplining students' thoughts and reasoning ability. Discusses classroom techniques for using questioning strategies in an interdisciplinary humanities seminar. Includes questioning scenarios for seeking information, interpretation, and speculation/hypothesizing. (CFR)