Methods of optimizing instruction through the use of course knowledge portrayal methods were studied, based on a series of experiments conducted over 6 years. Sixteen university courses in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities were investigated through the application of cognitive theory to instruction. Attention was first focused on…

A study examined the influence of extended analogies on the comprehension of unfamiliar texts by primary grade children. Subjects, 16 first- and 16 third-grade children, listened to two passages that described how the blood circulates in the body and how an infection heals. The passages were presented either with or without analogies. The children…

The study examines the use of LOGO, a computer language, with 19 learning disabled (LD) and 19 non-LD students in grades 4-6. Ss were randomly assigned to one of two instructional groups: sequential or whole-task, each with 10 LD and 10 non-LD students. The sequential method features a carefully ordered plan for teaching LOGO commands; the…

Concepts of critical thinking and psychological type are reviewed. An instrument that has gained wide acceptance for evaluating individual preferences is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Four dimensions of the MBTI that can also be considered learning preferences, with their associated contrasting preferences, are: (1) orientation toward…

This paper describes an exploratory study of conceptual change in 91 students enrolled in an introductory course at Michigan State University designed to help beginning teacher education students examine critically their preconceptions. The data consist of essay responses written at the beginning and end of the term. The authors were interested in…

This paper considers ways in which the organization of text can be made explicit through verbal cuing and the ways in which this organization can be related to the cognitive processes of the reader. It is noted that the textual factors supplementary to the main content play an important part in the comprehension of text and are, thus, important…

This report describes a project which analyzed science and social studies textbooks to determine how well they accommodate the learning needs of mainstreamed hard-to-teach students. A textbook analysis tool was developed, and eight teacher-reviewers examined the instructional design of teachers' and students' editions of 12 leading elementary and…

A study examined whether good and poor readers benefit differentially from intervention in mnemonic strategy use. Subjects, 72 fourth grade males from a suburban public school in the southeast, were randomly assigned to either a training, induction or control group. Training subjects received explicit demonstration of appropriate strategies, while…

In the last fifteen years, the concept of field-based experiences has changed from a Schools, College, and Department of Education (SCDE) focus toward a consumer-oriented model. This paper briefly reviews the early goals and describes the definitions which differentiate clinical experiences from field experiences which may help clarify research…

The use of the laserdisc in the classroom is described. Major advantages of the laserdisc are durability and large information storage capacity. Connecting the laserdisc with a microcomputer allows quick access to and interaction with the information it contains. Five uses of the system are further discussed: archival, demonstration, illustration…

Research indicates that there are numerous opportunities for educators to use computer technology in ways which are developmentally appropriate and which support or enhance preschool children's natural motivation to explore and discover. Since many of the misconceptions about preoperational cognition that form the basis for serious objections to…

The theoretical foundations of thinking skills models differ. One category of thinking skills programs uses the cognitive process approach on the premise that thinking abilities depend upon certain fundamental processes. Thinking skills programs that present a strategic approach to thinking are called heuristics-oriented programs, and focus on an…

This paper examines the gap between the learning potentials that computers provide and the actual impact of computer use on learning and development. It is argued that the computer's unique potential is derived in part from four basic attributes: information, symbol systems, user activities, and relations with the user. It is hypothesized that…

The major curriculum issue in Norway focuses on the form of learning as opposed to the content of learning. At the turn of the century the school program emphasized content; teaching centered around the acquisition and storage of knowledge. During the 1920s and 1930s, however, theorists stressed the form of the educational process. The process of…

This paper explores new technologies, including computers and videodiscs, considering what they offer to education, how they can help contain educational costs, and how schools can begin to plan a smooth transition from today's primitive classroom environment to the electronically-equipped classroom of tomorrow. The introduction discusses general…