This study investigates the possibility that the reinforcement strength of stimuli can be enhanced by observational learning as well as by pairing with unconditioned reinforcers. The reinforcement strengths of two candies were determined for 40 preschool children as measured by rate of response on a button pressing apparatus. The children then…

An investigation was made of the job proficiency of the graduates of an experimental job-oriented training program for Electronics Technician (X-ET). This program was designed to train lower-aptitude personnel in a relatively shorter time to assume ET duties in the fleet. The fleet performance capabilities of 51 X-ET's and a matched sample of 43…

Forty sub-literate adults were given reading and comprehension skill training. Twenty of the subjects were taught using a multimedia, multimodal and multilevel communication skill system (Experimental Group). The other twenty were taught in a traditional manner using standard reading texts (Control Group). Both Groups received an average of 265…

A project was undertaken to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a unit of instruction which would teach economically deprived first grade children some interesting scientific concepts and increase their curiosity behavior and willingness to offer hypotheses, carry out experiments, and evaluate outcomes. The instructional unit was based on…

A report is given of student learning outcomes investigated over a one and one half year period on the Spanish Dame School Project. This project provided instruction in Spanish and English for approximately 100 children between the ages of three and six. A pretest-posttest control group design was used involving eight groups. Four tests were used…

Research designed to discover the effect of individual instruction and team teaching upon the academic growth of students in high school English during a six weeks summer school session is discussed. Two control and experimental groups were used. Results are given in tabular form. (CK)

Two experiments on multiple-choice assessment of students learning from sentences were conducted. Interference arising from intersentence similarity was a function of both the kind of learning strategies students were instructed to employ and the kind of strategies they reported having employed spontaneously. Implications for test construction and…

Examines the effects of simplified input in early second language (L2) acquisition of English by experimentally manipulating language input to two groups of learners and then assessing their acquisition longitudinally within a controlled laboratory setting. Findings reveal that the dual task of acquiring vocabulary and grammar does not hinder…

The problem of the appropriate comparison group for bereavement studies is discussed. The use of the retrospective pretest design is illustrated through a longitudinal study of bereavement outcome following pregnancy loss, involving 138 bereaved women and a comparison group of 215 currently pregnant women. (SLD)

This study investigated differences in achievement for control groups learning college algebra using traditional classroom instruction methods compared to experimental groups using computer algebra tutorials for three precalculus topics. Two instructors each taught one control group and one experimental group. No significant differences were…

The regression-discontinuity design involving a treatment interaction effect (TIE), pretest-posttest functional form specification, and choice of point-of-estimation of the TIE are examined. Formulas for controlling the magnitude of TIE in simulations can be used for simulating the randomized experimental case where estimation is not at the…

An experimental class in introductory statistics (n=40) using simulation software at American University was compared to a traditionally taught control group (n=36) with respect to achievement and accrued beliefs about the benefits of the simulations. Results indicate significantly higher achievement scores for the experimental class with about…

The epidemiological method of case-control study is described, and its advantages and disadvantages are discussed for use in health program evaluation. Examples are reviewed, with a step-by-step description of the method. Potential applications are discussed, including worksite health promotions, screening programs, and large-scale public health…

The question of memory-based processing when transfer is delayed was addressed for 181 college students in a transfer-for-training paradigm. Results indicate that the use of a general and a specific schema for retrieval when memory-based processing is required to demonstrate transfer in a problem domain. (SLD)

This commentary argues that the study reported in EC 605 442, which indicated long-term gains for children with autism who experienced intensive behavioral intervention as preschoolers, needs to be replicated to be convincing, especially given the problem of nonrandom assignment of experimental and control groups. (JDD)