Outlines four methods by which school counselors may ensure mutual understanding with teachers about their role while developing rapport and further improving their professional status as competent counselors whose primary interest is in the welfare of the students. Suggests these strategies as effective for bridging the gap that exists between…

Describes empirical investigations of people's use of relevance criteria. Highlights include a laboratory experiment and a naturalistic study that explored the patterns of movement in use of relevance criteria during real-time document evaluation processes; criteria patterns; and a classification scheme and criteria taxonomy that may enable…

Ponders what students might learn from a course in playwriting: the ability to think in vivid instances and moments; the habit of close observation of the details of human behavior; the ability to think through and see through cliches; making hard choices; sympathy; dreaming within limits; and concision. (SR)

Discusses the effects of expectancy on learning in a life science instructional laboratory exercise. Contends that prior knowledge directs the act of observing. Investigates the role of prior conceptions on secondary school students' ability to observe scientific phenomena. (Contains 30 references.) (YDS)

Reports the results of two studies of undergraduates that tested an uncertainty expansion information retrieval device and an uncertainty reduction device in naturalistic settings, designed to be given at different stages of Kuhlthau's information search process. Concludes that the timing of the device interventions is crucial to their potential…

Social learning theory stresses the importance of observation and modeling. Processes that determine outcomes of observed behavior include attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation. For nursing education, the theory appropriately focuses on the social environment for learning. (Contains 35 references.) (SK)

Discusses questions such as how birds fly and the meaning of bird songs. Explains the relationship between birds and ecological activism and points out the excitement in research and observation of birds. (Contains 34 references.) (YDS)

This article focuses on observational assessment in student learning of mathematical concepts in two sixth grade classrooms. Many of the class activities involved algorithms and open-ended problems in which students worked in collaborative groups, pairs, or individually. (MM)

The process-observer method of group training was evaluated. Disruption of group content and process was found to be less with the use of a process observer than with an observer. Process observers found the experience useful for their development as group leaders. Results and future directions are discussed. (Author/EMK)

Reflects on how the modern naturalist, having a high regard for objectivity, deals with spiritual issues and emotional responses to environmental devastation; the role of field experience in a naturalist's judgments on politically sensitive environmental issues; the great time needed to acquire first-hand knowledge, such as that held by indigenous…

As a commentary on the Special Issue, this paper discusses recent advances in the study of change across several time scales. It points out the importance of specifying time scales and putative patterns of change when characterizing problem behavior over developmental time scales. Methods for studying risk and protective mechanisms through…

The phrase "nature of science" refers to the characteristics of scientific knowledge that necessarily result from the scientific investigations that scientists conduct to develop knowledge. Yet, these characteristics are assumed by many to be "difficult" to teach. Not so. Many important aspects of nature of science can be directly linked to…

A core assumption of the standard multiple regression model is independence of residuals, the violation of which results in biased standard errors and test statistics. The structural equation model (SEM) generalizes the regression model in several key ways, but the SEM also assumes independence of residuals. The multilevel model (MLM) was…

The manner in which Marco, one of the less proficient readers in his class, is profoundly influenced by opportunities to observe and interact with other readers and writers is discussed. Marco's story illustrates the importance of close observation of learners as teacher researchers come to understand young readers.

This article is based on participant observation, review of documents such as curriculum materials, and interviews with participants associated with Spotted Eagle Alternative High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school was founded to combat the high dropout rate of American Indian students from mainstream secondary settings and offers a last…