Three generic types of information processing (IP) models are considered in this paper. They are: the General Problem Solver, developed by Simon; interactive natural language models exemplified by the work of Weizenbaum, and the quantitative instructional models developed by Atkinson. These were selected primarily because of their potential for…

The Analytical Review Project, conducted by UCLA's Center for the Study of Evaluation under the auspices of the U.S. Office of Education, evaluated 20 major longitudinal studies of the impact of schools and colleges on students' cognitive, personal, and vocational development. This project included a critical appraisal of the methodology used in…

This paper discusses the inadequacies of existing communication paradigms and proposes a new paradigm which integrates general semantics and general system theory in an application to communication theory. The paper includes an historical overview of traditional communication models as well as a discussion of the implications of the paradigm for…

In an analysis of the research literature on specific teacher behaviors which focused on oral language or speaking, no studies were found which could meet fully the criteria proposed for inclusion. Sources of problems lay in (1) the absence of an explicit theory of language underlying the study or series of propositions; (2) the failure to get…

In this review of the current state of humor research, the author traces the basic problems to two major deficiencies: (1) a lack of adequate theorizing concerning the effects of humor in communication, and (2) problems in experimental designs, particularly the study of humor in a laboratory setting. Too little research and insufficient attention…

Abstracts of the presentations made at two international symposia on "Man-Made Lakes, Their Problems and Environmental Effects" and "Planned Utilization of the Lowland Tropical Forests" constitute most of this issue of the newsletter. In addition, there are reports of a regional training course on draining and land reclamation in Iraq, the first…

Although Fred Keller's personalized system of instruction (PSI) has had a surprisingly rapid adoption in colleges and universities since its introduction in 1964, sound evaluation techniques for the method are still needed. Verbal reports are vague, while other methods that have been used are idiosyncratic and depend on the way the teacher…

A survey was conducted in an effort to determine the state of development of institutional research in Ohio public two-year institutions. A questionnaire mailed to the chief administrative officer at each campus yielded a response rate of 84%. Results of the survey showed: (1) at least 84% of the two-year campuses have or may be served by an…

The Rand Corporation, under contract with HEW, developed a research agenda for an emerging data base: The National Longitudinal Study (NLS) of the High School Class of 1972. The study had four main objectives: (1) to identify ways in which public decisionmakers can apply NLS data to key policy issues; (2) to foster the efficient use of a large and…

Relatively few studies have been made of the history of the international language Esperanto, although materials for its study are fairly complete. As a linguistic phenomenon, that is, a language in continuous use for almost a century but without national roots, it has also had little systematic study, though a considerable literature on the…

An understanding of the organization called "school" is dependent not primarily on "scientific" constructs, but on sets of values and other phenomena that elude precise measurement and yet influence people's behavior. These phenomena have been largely ignored by researchers in educational administration. The social sciences have tended to dominate…

The attempt to unite theory and practice in the education of English teachers has taken many forms: courses in which theoreticians attempt to illuminate the practice of professional teachers or student teachers; situations in which teacher-education faculty cooperate with teachers, student teachers, and the community, in order to make programs…

The Oklahoma Interagency Task Force for Health Manpower Data is a voluntary cooperative group of key State or area agencies with a generic interest in health manpower planning. The article is an account of the Task Force's approach to the provision of a solid foundation for planning for health manpower. (Author)

Design requirements such as functional specialization, balance among functions and performers, continuity in policies, tasks, and personnel excellence or quality control goal setting, and recognition of environmental constraints and potential constituencies that apply to a national educational R & D system are discussed. (Author/AM)

The disappointing results of research into growth in writing skills may be due to students being tested for skills other than those they have been taught.