Investigated the quality of spontaneous play with sticks, nuts, and bolts in 18 children aged 44 months and the effects of this on a subsequent problem whose solution required 2 sticks to be bolted together. Children who discovered the elongation principle during play were better problem solvers than those who had not. (RJC)

Explains a method of measuring music students' understanding and retention in order to justify the school music program. Rates students on three scales, including performance of tonal pattern, rote song, and rhythm pattern. Recommends the use of similar objective classroom evaluation to demonstrate learning success. (LS)

Takes a critical look at the idea of "news routines." Examines a politically oppositional news room to determine which elements of production make its news "oppositional." Argues that economic and organizational factors help determine news content more than do routines. (RAE)

This article reviews the qualitative structured interview technique; provides a synopsis of a case study of the exercise adoption process for 7 women (aged 65-74) where this technique was utilized; and discusses the technique in terms of its implications and potential for future leisure research. (IAH)

To help administrators with their classroom observation responsibilities, this article presents teacher performance guidelines. Teachers should actively involve students in a planned lesson, circulate among them, present instruction clearly, provide opportunities to practice new material and oral communication skills, create a positive learning…

Compares three competence assessment strategies that differ in the forms and amounts of evidence required and process of obtaining it: (1) performance samples; (2) workplace observations; and (3) evidence of prior achievements. Concludes that performance evidence may need to be supplemented with prior observations or achievement records and that…

An education professor describes bewildered responses to basic, if annoying, questions he asks regarding education's role and purpose. There is probably no single thing that everyone has to know. Education is a lifetime, seamless experience, connecting individual episodes into an ever-expanding web of meaning, insight, and understanding. Teachers…

Reviews problems and issues in early childhood evaluation, and discusses advantages and disadvantages associated with using classroom observations. The "Bronson Social and Task Skill Profile" is described, and its usefulness is discussed by reviewing the way it has been used in several research studies. (HTH)

Outcomes of the program evaluation of "The BreakAway Company," a career-readiness program for at-risk adolescents, are described. Some inconsistencies of observation and measurement in an intervention with 38 adolescents are noted. What and when to observe and measure are essential in evaluating complex interventions for at-risk…

Feminist recommendations were incorporated in a physical science course to gain new insights into the gender issues in science. Qualitative data from (n=45) elementary education students found themes of efficacy and empowerment but also of dissidence. Contains 74 references. (Author/MKR)

Presents a case study of problems that can occur when teaching the topic of redox reactions to grade-11 students. Concludes that the teachers' scientific expertise is an important source of difficulties when teaching redox reactions. Discusses implications for improvement of current chemistry classroom practice and content-related teacher…

Presents data collection activities for the home, school, and community that encourage students to summarize, interpret, and draw inferences. Four types of activities are discussed: observations, surveys, experiments, and sampling. (Author/MKR)

Conducted a study using activities based on historical data connected to heat and temperature to determine how and where it is possible to use the history of physics in a high school course. Analyzes episodes in which there was any allusion to history. Concludes that the history of science helps students understand the nature of science.…

Points out the incoherence of disciplinary assumptions within the field of composition regarding the research paper. Discusses writing technologies of the research paper, and the juncture between research and composition. Proposes that an ethnographic model would provide students with tools to work in the territory between the scientific model of…

A new theoretical analysis of the stop-signal model is proposed. Within the concepts of crude- and net-hazard functions, the nonobservable control-latency distribution can be estimated from observable reaction times. This result allows a test of the Logan and Cowan model (1984) without simplifying assumptions. (SLD)