One of the main advantages of the naturalistic approach to classroom research is that the observations are of natural phenomena, occuring in circumstances which the researcher ultimately hopes to generalize. Some problem areas are associated with this approach, however. Observers must obtain complete and accurate records of classroom activities…

Research was undertaken to develop an experimental computer-based training system and to conduct a number of experiments in dynamic skill training using the system. (Training for such tasks is distinguished from the teaching of fact systems, the training domain most heavily studied in CAI applications.) Based on the hypothesis that the attentional…

Reporting on research in progress, this paper centers on the relationship between the role of day care and the hegemonic process of ideological saturation that sustains the existing social order. The similarity between day care and the school is demonstrated through examination of a day care worker training program in one day care center in…

Interviews with six managers trained to teach the Interpersonal Managing Skills (IMS) program at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company provided insights into three aspects of communication training programs: training skills, the trainer role, and methods of training the trainer. A highly structured, packaged program, IMS teaches five…

A 36-item observation instrument was developed for measuring appropriate social development in infants and toddlers. Checklist items indicated such behaviors as asking, protecting, comforting, lending, sharing, hugging, playing with, joining, laughing, smiling, looking at, performing request, leading, following, and conversing. Use of the…

Educational approaches to social work in the United States are compared with programs in South America. The first half of the document discusses a 1981 survey conducted by Argentine Professor Alayon. Questionnaires were sent to 236 schools in 21 Latin American countries. Data are based on 46 responses from 13 countries concerning status of the…

Teacher training sessions were examined to determine why four teachers receiving the same training in implementing explanation behavior in reading instruction differed in the success with which they carried out the new strategies. Audiotaped training sessions, trainer self-reports, and teacher interviews were qualitatively analyzed to identify the…

Examined here is the question of whether current teacher inservice activities for improving students' basic skills incorporate research-validated practices. First, 27 dimensions for analyzing inservice education were idenitified under six headings: teacher objectives, student objectives, delivery systems, organizational context, governance, and…

The purpose of this document is to share various approaches used by federal agencies to assess needs and measure training effectiveness. The emphasis in the descriptions is on the evaluation process rather than on the results. One program was evaluated by employing return-on-investment (ROI) data and using volunteer line personnel who conducted…

A course in building maintenance (at the Voc Tech Department of Pensacola Junior College, Florida) teaches students to maintain, repair, and rework existing facilities under the CETA program. The daily schedule includes one hour of classroom work covering related academic subjects and five hours spent working on a variety of projects. (LH)

Describes a training program concerned with providing students with knowledge and skills in child advocacy for the treatment of severely disturbed children and for providing services to a black and disadvantaged population. (Editor/PG)

Criteria by which an organization should select a vendor-supplied training program and the measurement and rating of programs against such selection criteria are described. A review of the pertinent literature and research, from a theoretical rather than practical perspective, is included. Factors and criteria identified in the literature as…

The Rutgers Train the Trainer Program (RTTP) is a 2-day intensive workshop for teaching noncareer prospective teachers. Seven essential principles of the program are as follows: (1) teachers of prospective teachers should model the elements of effective teaching; (2) teachers should adopt an overall approach to their students that centers on…