In two studies involving 18 secondary-level students with learning disabilities and 32 elementary-level at-risk African-American and Hispanic students, it was found that students exposed to positive-mood induction completed more math problems accurately than control children, and the secondary-level experimental students expressed greater…

This study followed 96 gifted students from kindergarten through high school and found that students who qualified for the gifted program on the basis of verbal or quantitative reasoning abilities performed better in academic subjects than did students who qualified only on the basis of nonverbal abilities. (Author/JDD)

Researchers examined Black and White fifth graders' perceptions of teacher treatment and found no significant differences between the groups. Analysis by sex indicated differences between Black males and subgroups of White males, Black females, and White females. They perceived teachers treated them in ways teachers treat lower achieving students.…

Three models have been developed to provide a framework for describing range of delivery technologies available that are consistent with missions of training organizations. Performance support model presents a strategy for applying solutions to performance problems; knowledge transfer model depicts combinations of communication media; and…

Researchers examined the effect of contextual variety on practice, retention, and transfer of the long and short badminton service in a college physical education class. Results indicated a practice schedule requiring students to change the plan of action from trial to trial facilitated retention and transfer of motor skills. (SM)

Synthesis of 2 studies--1 of 429 accountant participants in continuing education (CE) and 1 of CE accounting courses taught by practitioners and academics--found that (1) academicians were rated slightly higher than practitioners and (2) assessments of learning indicate proficiency rather than competence in practice. (SK)

Industry's experience with performance appraisal and performance management are examined, and a University of New South Wales (Australia) performance management program for general staff is discussed. The issues raised appear to be common to universities, and it is concluded that the approach is unlikely to work effectively in the university…

Describes a study that examined the relative impact of 44 independent variables on performance in a business simulation used in an administrative policy course. Categories of variables include ability, motivation, interest, confidence, cohesion, and organizational formality; and results indicate that motivation and interest have the most effect on…

These reflections on EC 606 263 (a paper examining the effectiveness of student versus teacher monitoring of behavior of students at risk for referral to special education) examines the development of interest in the topic, acceptability of the interventions to study participants, potential usefulness of the intervention, and evidence of changes…

The constancy of intelligence quotients (IQs) of 161 gifted Israeli children, obtained initially in grades K-4 and retested 1-4 years later, was examined. Results indicated that 86% still qualified as gifted on the retest, with mean differences of five to eight IQ points. Performance scores tended to remain constant, whereas verbal scores tended…

Results of research using 13,637 courses at the University of New Hampshire (Durham)--258,861 individual student rating forms--confirm that students in education find instruction in teacher education courses to be of higher quality than do students of courses in other disciplines. Study replication at other institutions is warranted. (SLD)

Responses from 153 faculty and 146 undergraduates (including 35 nontraditional students) indicated that faculty viewed nontraditional students as different and better learners. Although faculty said critical thinking/problem solving were top goals, students felt instructors used lecture and emphasized subject matter. Students, especially…

Comparisons of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised scores, for 24 children with learning disabilities demonstrating a low verbal, high performance intelligence quotient (IQ) discrepancy and 33 slow learning children having uniformly low verbal and performance IQs, revealed few cognitive differences beyond the Performance Scale…

Reviews alternative assessment practices in several nations and questions whether these techniques should be used in the United States. Focuses on moderation, a technique in which trained evaluators adjust grades to ensure equitable distribution among participating schools. Concludes that evaluation in art education presents special problems and…

Explains the need for meaningful performance measures in libraries and the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach to data collection. Five tools representing different stages of a TQM inquiry are covered (i.e., the Shewhart Cycle, flowcharts, cause-and-effect diagrams, Pareto charts, and control charts), and benchmarking is addressed. (Contains…