In seven Indiana schools, fourth graders received hands-on instruction with incubators; seven schools were controls, with a total of 736 students and 39 teachers participating. The treatment group increased agriculture-related science knowledge. Students from communities smaller than 5,000 scored better than those in larger communities. (Contains…

Four learning modules on elderly sexuality were pilot tested with 109 long-term care staff. On pretests men and whites scored higher than women and African-Americans. Knowledge and attitude improvements resulted from use of modules on the need for sexuality/intimacy, sex and dementia, and sex and aging, but not the family/personal issues module.…

This study examined the ability of 70 deaf and 58 hearing students at the college and middle school levels to discern and apply knowledge of printed word morphology, especially morpheme segmentation and semantic analysis. Deaf college students scored similarly to middle school hearing students. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

A study of 113 Canadian pharmacists attending continuing education on asthma compared two methods of needs assessment: perceived needs and knowledge-based needs. Scores indicated no relationship between the two kinds of needs. Needs assessment in continuing professional education thus should recognize and address the limitations of self-perceived…

Twenty 5-year-olds and 20 8-year-olds were asked to tell 6 stories about health and illness. Analysis of stories did not support a stage theory of developmental changes in children's understanding of illness. Results suggest that young children share many ideas about illness with older children. (CB)

This study found that the level of health knowledge of 139 hearing Australian students, ages 12-18, was superior to that of 66 hearing-impaired students. However, health knowledge of hearing-impaired students increased markedly from grade 8 to grade 12, so that by grade 12 they were achieving only marginally below their hearing peers. (Author/JDD)

Examined relationship between knowledge about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), subjective perception of AIDS risk, and sexual behavior of undergraduates (N=459). Found students generally informed but that no relationship existed between accurate knowledge about AIDS and sexual behavior. Provides AIDS education and counseling…

The study found that, compared to normally achieving students, 24 students (age 10 and 12) with learning disabilities were less able in vocabulary production tasks and comparable in ability to use pictorial responses to demonstrate vocabulary knowledge. When equated in reading achievement, learning-disabled 10 year olds were poorer in composite…

Studied whether there were differences between using anatomically correct dolls, drawings, or verbal descriptions in the accuracy and completeness of sexual abuse information using girls (N=45) ages 9 to 10. Determined children in group using either dolls or drawings obtained more correct responses than those in the verbal group, but the…

A questionnaire on hearing, hearing loss, and hearing health practices was developed and administered to 89 school health educators in 6 states. Analysis of responses indicates some deficiencies in their knowledge level suggesting the need for preservice and continuing education programs. The questionnaire is appended. (Author/DB)

Theoretical and empirical issues relating to haptic exploration and the representation of common objects during haptic classification were investigated in 3 experiments involving a total of 112 college students. Results are discussed in terms of a computational model of human haptic object classification with implications for dextrous robot…

The impact of higher education on student knowledge of and attitudes toward social justice issues was investigated using an attitude survey of 861 students at a private Catholic university--the University of San Diego (California). Years in college were positively related to awareness of social justice issues. (SLD)

Describes knowledge mapping, a tool developed to increase the objectivity and accuracy of task difficulty ratings for job design. Application in a semiconductor manufacturing environment is discussed, including identifying prerequisite knowledge for a given task; establishing training development priorities; defining knowledge levels; identifying…

Replies to Robert Ennis' article, "Critical Thinking and Subject Specificity: Clarification and Needed Research" (April 1989), on subject specificity in the literature on critical thinking. Discusses the transferability of critical thinking skills from one topic to another. Considers the possibility of general thinking skills that apply…

Responds to John McPeck's article, "Critical Thinking and Subject Specificity: A Reply to Ennis" (May 1990), and summarizes his earlier essay. Covers the following topics: (1) versions of subject specificity; (2) vagueness; (3) the distinction between school-subject matter and the subject matter of everyday life; (4) subjects and topics;…