Scaffolding refers to the instructional support that instructors or more skillful peers offer learners to bridge the gap between their current skill levels and the desired level. An aspect of scaffolding that is often ignored is the fading of support as the learner masters the skill. It has been suggested that there is a risk of over-relying on…

This research study evaluated the sex education program at the American School of Tampico (Mexico) by examining the students' perception of sex education and the level of knowledge it provided them. A random sample of eighth- through tenth-grade students (n=97) was chosen from the total population of 132 students. Each student answered a survey…

This document consists of three papers presented at a symposium on expertise in organizations moderated by Ross Azevedo at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). "How Individual Expertise May Be Socially Constructed: A Literature Review" (Abney V. Gleespen) looks at the research to determine the…

This paper analyzes "confused history" on the part of students and where that confusion might originate. The study is based on a modified form of content analysis of articles by R. Lederer. The articles offer a compilation of student errors in history and geography. Two major categories of errors are recognized: (1) Type I, represented by errors…

A survey of 34 teachers of students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and 27 speech-language pathologists licensed by the Pennsylvania Board of Examiners in Speech and Hearing investigated who was more qualified to serve this population. The survey consisted of three parts: demographic information, questions about graduate preparation, and a test…

The National Center for Children in Poverty has recently conducted research on case management in service integration projects, with the core information coming from 16 projects for children around the country. This brief describes the training and experience that case managers bring to their jobs and receive on the job, how prepared they feel to…

The South Asia Panel of the National Council on Foreign Languages and International Studies reports on the need for specialists in the languages and cultures of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Two categories of specialists are discussed: (1) individuals in government, mission, etc., in…

Ten high-ability middle school students participated in a 13 week enrichment program on inferential statistics. Consistent with the NCTM Standards, classes emphasized problem solving in real world contexts and the communication of mathematical ideas. Students struggled with written assignments, yet worked effectively in pairs, small groups, and…

Public school ratings of the importance of subject-matter test objectives associated with teacher certification tests were examined by means of a job-analysis survey conducted in 1986 and a similar survey conducted in 1993. It was predicted that there would be a high degree of change in the importance ratings assigned to these test objectives…

Anecdotal evidence from teachers who teach in bilingual or second language settings indicates that there is a potential for loss of subject matter. This loss is particularly troubling within the context of science learning. This article reviews several projects aimed at developing an understanding of the implications of bilingual instruction in…

Young children's knowledge of race and ethnicity is conveyed in their own terms, and how this knowledge affects their social relationships and ideas about procreation is explored. Participant observation, informal conversations, and collecting children's artwork were used to build a picture of race through the eyes of the kindergarten child.…

A job analysis was conducted of the knowledge and skills important for the competent performance of beginning business education teachers. The results of this job analysis will be used to define the content domain of the subject assessment in Business Education for the Praxis Series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. A domain of…

The relationships among teaching, testing, and learning are examined and reconceptualized based on different theories and computer adaptive testing. Approaches that integrate teaching, testing, and learning include: (1) behavioral psychology; (2) cognitive psychology; and (3) computer adaptive testing (CAT). Some behaviorists have assumed that all…

As part of the efforts of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) in support of the national goals for education (America 2000), staff members are cataloguing and synthesizing research to connect it to federal practice. This paper presents the basic argument that synthesizing research and translating it into practice-oriented…

Learner-centered principles espoused by the American Psychological Association (APA) built on research of the last three decades suggest that learning does not simply entail coordinated cognitive processes. These 12 principles portray factors associated with learning as essential parts of the portrayal of learners as active creators of their own…