Naturalistic observations of special education classrooms in a high school, together with teacher ratings of social acceptance, revealed four status positions within a learning handicapped group. Conformity to school expectations was inversely related to social standing, while behavioral dominance was directly related. Discusses individual and…

Reports the results of a survey of college students which examined their views on the value of online searching and the relevance of retrieved citations. Survey items, including subject searched, method of instructions, searching experience, database selected, and perceived relevance of citations, were cross-tabulated and examined for…

Presents a method for monitoring teacher questioning. Argues that observers can improve a teacher's questioning technique by noting the types of questions asked by the teacher, the distribution of questions among students, and which students ask and answer questions. (MM)

The effectiveness of using nonmedical personnel to evaluate medical students' performance on medical history-taking and physical examination was studied at Mercer University School of Medicine. Advantages in using nonphysician observers were that they were more available, economical, and attentive. (MLW)

This article explores concepts and strategies pertaining to systemic family assessment, enumerates the essential principles of systems theory, and discusses the purposes of family assessment in the context of children's school-related problems. An overview of assessment strategies is provided. (Author/LMO)

The Social Observation for Mainstreamed Environments (SOME) checklist evaluates handicapped preschool children's social skills and readiness for mainstreamed environments. Checklist items represent social behaviors important to successful preschool integration, such as initiating interactions appropriately, obeying class rules, and respecting…

The relation of classroom experience to children's self-perceptions of ability, effort, and conduct was investigated in an observational study of 85 second and sixth graders. Findings suggest that children distinguish among different types of feedback and highlight the differential effects of feedback on achievement-related self-perceptions.…

Discusses a study which examined the last factor of Piaget's model of intelligence-functioning. Sought to determine if empirical evidence could be formed to support the existence of assimilation, disequilibrium, accommodation, and organization in the learning of physics. Naturalistic data provided support for the Piagetian functioning model of…

Briefly describes fundamental problems with library reference service based on the findings of 20 separate studies using unobtrusive tests. An emphasis on quality of service, realistic goals, and effective managerial strategies are identified as possible resolutions of these problems. (CLB)

A naturalistic investigation was conducted to describe the relationships among participation structures, reading activities, student engagement, and subsequent student achievement in reading lessons taught by student teachers and experienced teachers. Results are presented. (Author/MT)

Presents an edited version of the script of an oral presentation by three symposium participants (Noreen Garman, Carl Glickman, and Madeline Hunter) that highlights their conflicting conceptions of clinical supervision. Provides a commentary that puts the responses in philosophic perspective. (IW)

Observations were made of instructor-student classroom interactions at the collegiate level. Professors interacted differentially at a significant level with minority versus non-minority students in the majority of the behavioral observations, and the instructors had significantly lower academic expectations of undergraduate minority students…

Explores the ability of 5 children aged 1 month to 30 months to initiate and maintain topics of conversation. The data demonstrate that at the beginning of development children simply attract attention to themselves as the topic of conversation and that later, as their interests broaden, their topic repertoire expands. (Author/SED)

University of Oklahoma Libraries conducted a cost study of circulation service-desk operations. Using percentages of staff time occupied in particular tasks, pay rates, indirect costs, and overhead, total costs were computed on task-by-task basis. Information served as basis for reorganization of work assignments and revision of staff scheduling.…

Summarizes results of a study exploring verbal communication processes of supervisors and teachers involved in teacher development conferences. Highlights supervisors' need for leadership and effective communication skills in observation sessions, so that both inexperienced and self-confident teachers will be encouraged to improve instructional…