Provides an exercise for introducing research methods to undergraduates. The students view a graph revealing that left-handed people are underrepresented in older age groups. Small group discussions attempt to explain this phenomenon. A follow-up class discussion focuses on the different approaches and methods available for interpreting the data.…

Focuses on identifying ways in which policy has affected arts education, specifically those that have evolved outside of arts education instead of within. Explores topics such as: the influence of national and state standards, the impact of testing, and the absence of teachers competent to teach the arts. (CMK)

Describes study conducted at King Faisal University to determine the effectiveness of closed-circuit television instruction for use with female students in a sex-segregated environment where there is a lack of qualified female instructors. Simultaneous instruction with male and female classes is evaluated, hypotheses tested are explained, and…

School districts should develop policies and procedures that cover the area of background checks, yet ensure that potential employees' civil rights are not violated. In developing policies, employers might consider the following areas: reference checks, physical examinations, drug and alcohol screening, conviction record, and credential checking.…

Discusses legislation aimed at prevention, identification, and treatment of prenatal exposure to controlled substances and the consequences of such exposure. Coercive state intervention can include involuntary civil commitment, child protection; and criminal prosecution. Such intervention raises constitutional issues of privacy and…

Discussion of the display of instructional text and text format elements focuses on a study of fourth graders that was conducted to test the effects of plain and enhanced screen designs on learning and time during computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Implications for screen design and future research are suggested. (31 references) (LRW)

Describes study of college students that was designed to test the hypotheses that females would differ from males on four aspects of computer-related attitudes: (1) interest/enjoyment; (2) comfort and confidence; (3) computers as a male domain; and (4) social impact of computers. Some strategies for improving female students' attitudes toward…

This study assessed the nature of response bias in a two-stage data-collection design (telephone interviews followed by a questionnaire mailing), which was used to examine the effectiveness of a state-level pharmaceutical assistance program for the elderly. Demographic and health factors affecting response (N=1,705 elderly persons) are discussed.…

Describes study that investigated the difference between computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and traditional lecture instruction in teaching an office technology course. The effects of CAI on student achievement and student attitudes is discussed, hypotheses tested and pretests and posttests are described, and further research needs are suggested.…

An adaptation of the Hannah-Gardner Test of Verbal and Nonverbal Language Functioning was developed to be used in screening the language skills of 540 low-income Black, English-dominant Hispanic, and Anglo preschool children. The procedures used to calculate local norms and other issues involved in screening minority populations are discussed.…

Announces the development of a videodisc module which provides access to the U.S. Department of Agriculture information network. Relates sources of information, module description, recommendations for use, and software specifications. Describes the equipment needed. (RT)

Discusses parent-child television coviewing and describes the results of a study that examined coviewing of television series featuring families via questionnaire responses from second, sixth, and tenth graders and their parents. The paper and pencil instruments that were administered are described, and dependent and independent variables are…

A panel of 24 public school teachers and 37 college/university faculty members provided recommendations on minimal standards for the essay portion of the National Teacher Examinations Communication Skills Test. Public school judges' recommendations were significantly more variable than were those of college/university judges. (TJH)

Evaluated two training methods that might be used to increase Mandarin adults' accuracy in identifying final /t/ and /d/ as stops in English. Results indicate that the effects of training generalized to words that were not used in training, and subjects maintained the effects of same/different training better than those of identification training.…

Describes a study of Korean elementary school students that was conducted to investigate the effects of differing types of instructional control strategies and cognitive style on achievement in arithmetic skills using computer-assisted instruction. Hypotheses tested are discussed, time on task is investigated, and future research is suggested.…