A study using a biasing paradigm examined four hypotheses regarding specific mechanisms thought to underlie the Assimilation-plus-Correction (A-C) theory of schema-text interactions. According to this theory, the ideas implied by a schema (type-1 ideas) are thought to be assimilated and obscured, while those ideas representing novel information…

A study was conducted to investigate the compensatory effects of graphic organizers on text organization. Subjects were 114 tenth grade students who read two versions of an expository passage containing identical information but differing in top level structure. The version organized to show opposing views (comparison/contrast) was considered…

In this course text on second language acquisition, the latest research of Halle and Chomsky, Lenneberg, Hatch, Larsen-Freeman, Dulay and Burt, and Krashen is presented. The text covers such topics as the effects of environment, age, and personality on second language acquisition; the role of the first language; and error analysis. Enough has been…

The presuppositions that favor firsthand experience over secondhand information, as pertaining to learning and education, are questioned. It is noted that, when education and firsthand experience are described as if equivalent, a presumption is made that a commonsense theory of knowledge and mind is valid. Research on the social psychology of…

Designed for workshop, teacher inservice, and classroom use, this monograph pulls together theory, research findings, and descriptions of successful classroom practices to improve instruction in listening skills. Chapter 1 discusses the importance of listening instruction, providing general background information on the nature of listening. The…

It is noted that it has long seemed possible to teach mathematics in two distinct ways: (1) learning with understanding, and (2) learning without understanding. The study discussed was designed to ascertain what might be lost if "understanding" was eliminated from instruction, as compared to teaching in which the…

Content organization and its effects on prose learning were the focus of this study. Organizational chunking during the encoding or reading interval with an instructional booklet and batched postquestions during the retrieval period (including all events between initial learning and the retention test) were used with 112 university students to…

Investigations in Natural Science is a program in secondary school biology, chemistry, and physics based upon the description of science as a quest for knowledge, not the knowledge itself. This teaching guide is designed for use with the 18 biology investigations found in the student manual. These investigations focus on concepts related to:…

As part of the Continuing Professional Education Development Project at Pennsylvania State University, the learning styles of 148 practicing professionals (accountants, architects, clinical dietitians, and nurses) were investigated. The study objectives were: (1) to describe their learning characteristics using Kolb's Learning Style Inventory…

This working paper, which reviews the experimental literature on learning skills to provide background information to the staff of the Skills Essential to Learning Television Project (a multi-level series of video and print resources for classroom use), covers four areas: study skills, instructional development and design, cognitive psychology,…

High performance skills are defined as ones: (1) which require over 100 hours of training, (2) in which a substantial number of individuals fail to develop proficiency, and (3) in which the performance of the expert is qualitatively different from that of the novice. Training programs for developing high performance skills are often based on…

The relationship between personal development and mastery of instructional skills in a preservice teacher education program was studied. The sample of 80 students were in elementary, early childhood, and special education programs. Questions posed were: (1) How well do the personal development instruments describe the students? (2) Are there…

Written for curriculum developers and vocational education instructors, this publication provides an understanding of cognitive concepts and methods using an information processing paradigm and shows how to apply this knowledge in development of curriculum and instructional plans. Chapter 1 reviews needs and characteristics of vocational education…

While reading and writing are both language processes and a natural relationship between the two could be assumed, they have generally been studied and taught separately--one as a production process and the other as a reception process. There has recently been increased interest in the relationship in the education community. The source of this…

The pedagogical and theoretical questions raised by the notion of using microcomputers in the teaching of literature are covered in this report, rather than the current state of computer use in the classroom. In part, the report formulates basic premises that underly what teachers do in literature classrooms and asks what skills, concepts, and…