Investigated whether planning opportunity results in increased focus on form at the level of strategic attention to form during planning time, as well as at the level of production outcomes during task performance. Results provide support for the claim that planning before doing a second language task can promote an increased focus on form.…

Investigates the relationship between tasks and learners in task-based learning. Findings suggest that manipulation of task characteristics and conditions may not achieve the intended pedagogic outcomes, and that new ways are needed to focus learners' attention of form without sacrificing the meaning-driven principles of task-based learning.…

Discusses the increased emphasis on problem solving and problem-based learning in instructional design and the need for new methods for task analysis and models for designing instruction. Defines the rationale and means for analyzing, organizing, and presenting stories to support problem solving by case-based reasoning. (Author/LRW)

Deals with the organization of children's interaction in a school setting where the teacher is absent. Basing the analysis on a 30-minute session where a small mixed-group of pupils are working on a math problem, examines the ways in which the children accomplish the task, the on-task talk through which they organize and work through a particular…

Two experiments evaluated a program for establishing phonemic segmentation in 16 moderately retarded children, aged 6-19. One assessed whether failure to isolate final phonemes of Consonant-Vowel-Consonant words was due to task requirements or inadequate understanding of task demands. The second evaluated effects of time-based stimulus…

How the dual-task interference effects, observed when subjects attempted to simultaneously perform two simple tasks, are related to capacity limitations in perceptual processing of complex visual displays was studied. Results for a total of 110 undergraduates in 6 experiments support a 2-component theory of divided attention. (SLD)

A survey of 120 executives at eight United States organizations attempted to find out what executives thought about the meetings they attended, and to find out what an organization could do to make meetings more productive. Provides five tips for making meetings matter. (MLF)

Describes the seven steps involved in delegation: task identification, analysis of skill requirements; delegate selection, communication of performance criteria, assignment of task and necessary resources, monitoring procedures, and feedback to delegate. Outlines the benefits of delegation to the organization, the manager, and subordinates.…

Examined effects of task context and difficulty on mother-child instructional interactions and the role of maternal views about task context and difficulty. Mothers taught what they thought the particular context required and varied their teaching according to what they believed to be true of their children. (BG)

Two studies involving workers with moderate/severe mental retardation analyzed productivity rates on a seated assembly task and analyzed the most efficient means to remediate a custodial vacuuming task. A motion economy-based task design was more efficient than the site-based task design in terms of cleanliness, production rates, and reduction of…

Discussion of constructivism focuses on instructional systems design (ISD) and how it can help develop constructivist instruction. Highlights include ISD limitations; objectives and learning analysis, including Competency-Based Teacher Education and levels of learning; task analysis; and formative evaluation processes. (23 references) (LRW)

Discussion of instructional systems development (ISD) focuses on recent developments in cognitive task analysis and describes the Integrated Task Analysis Model, a framework for integrating cognitive and behavioral task analysis methods within the ISD model. Three components of expertise are analyzed: skills, knowledge, and mental models. (96…

Examines some of the recent developments in cognitive theory and explores their implications for instructional design. Topics discussed include a shift from emphasis on behavioral theory to cognitive theory; task analysis; instructional objectives; learner characteristics; instructional strategies; metacognition; and the dynamic nature of…

This study tested the comprehension of object-control adjectives in second-grade good and poor readers using both an act-out task and a sentence-picture matching task. Contrary to an earlier study, significant group differences were not found in interpreting object control adjectives with either task. (Contains 20 references.) (JL)

The dominant approach to on-the-job training is the job instruction model (experienced colleague as instructor). The model involves task analysis and direct instruction. Task analysis is useful if restricted to elements that benefit from standardization. Direct instruction is effective only if embedded in continuous work improvement and is…